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Hundreds of people took to the streets of Minsk and several other cities in Belarus on Tuesday evening, in a third straight night of protest following the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko, Euronews reported. 

The demonstrations continued despite a massive police crackdown that prompted a warning of possible European Union sanctions.

There were more clashes between the protesters and police who used stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds continued well into the night.

Police continued to detain people in an attempt to quell unrest. Dozens were held in the capital and human rights group Viasna also reported mass detentions in the cities of Grodno, Brest and Vitebsk.

Several journalists were injured in Minsk, and some were detained by police. Memory cards were seized from a group of photographers, including one from the Associated Press, as they were documenting clashes between police and protesters.

Some 5,000 people have been detained and dozens injured after the three nights of protests.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has been accused of rigging the ballot after Sunday's election, which the authorities say gave the long-standing authoritarian leader a sixth term with a landslide 80% of the vote.

Belarus' leading opposition candidate -- who won just 10% support according to the official tally -- said on Tuesday she had fled her country for Lithuania for her own wellbeing and for that of her children in the wake of the elections.

In a video released on Tuesday, she urged her supporters to respect the law and to avoid clashes with police -- but her campaign aides said she made the unexpected moves under duress.