As soon as I started approaching the square I saw pieces of paper - printed political program of Urmat Barktabasov.

These programs were distributed at the rally that initially started around Gorky monument located several hundred meters away and gathered some 800-1500 people according to some estimates. According to rally participants there were some 5000 people which seems like a usual exaggeration.

This is how the little booklet looked originally. The content of the booklet is pretty standard for such political material - populist statements glorifying Kyrgyz people and promising good life without any concrete goals.

The first thing I saw upon arrival is a row of bio toilets. Organizers were prepared very well.

Reported 1.5 thousand crowd was gone and there were several hundred people remaining. Street cleaners were already sweeping the square and picking up trash thus hinting that the rally was over.

Looks like not many people were getting the hint.

The political picnic was still on - people were walking among the trees and lying on the grass around the square.

But there were many who did not really rest. Some of the "holidaymakers" were quite busy talking on their phones - checking on the situation in a small village, Kirgshelk, outside Bishkek where most of the supporters headed several hours before I came.

Several hundred rally participants were coming to Bishkek from the eastern part of the country. Police and military set up a post in Kirgshelk to prevent them from joining the ones on the square. And their comrades went to the post to help them come into Bishkek.

Not only rally participants were interested in the situation outside Bishkek. By the time I finished this post I read reports on some clashes between protesters and police.

Some were searching for answers and updates on the situation.

A lot of water and bread was distributed freely among the rally participants.

However, ice cream was for sale. Ice cream ladies were making some good money in the square.

:-)

Political picnic is a combination of pleasure and work - spending some quality time in the park and contributing to political development of Kyrgyzstan.

There were many people who were just walking around with kids. Everyone wants to see the history in the making.

This man was periodically asking the people not to go away. 'They are coming. They are already here' he was saying. I guess he was referring to 'others' blocked by police.

By the way, there were a lot of women wondering around talking on cell phones all the time. The "SWAT" I noted to myself. One of the SWAT members actually came up to me to learn why I was photographing all this. She pretended to be just a passer by, but it was obvious that she was part (or maybe even among organizers) of the rally.