Belarusian protesters, defying army, flood Minsk

People attend an opposition demonstration to protest against presidential election results, in Minsk, Belarus August 23, 2020. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

MINSK (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of protesters demanding Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko step down defied a warning from the military on Sunday and flooded into Minsk, briefly gathering near the president's residence, before dispersing peacefully.

The veteran leader denounced the demonstrators as "rats" and was seen in state media footage wearing body armour and holding a rifle, projecting an unyielding image amid the huge nationwide demonstrations that erupted after a disputed election on Aug. 9.