UKRAINE: Protest violence between demonstrators and police stretches into the night despite appeals for calm by opposition leaders

Record ID: 214146

  • Title: UKRAINE: Protest violence between demonstrators and police stretches into the night despite appeals for calm by opposition leaders
  • Date: 20th January 2014
  • Summary: KIEV, UKRAINE (JANUARY 20, 2014) (REUTERS) (NIGHTSHOTS) PROTESTERS CONFRONTING POLICE BURNING VEHICLE WITH FIRE BRIGADE HOSES TRAINED ON IT FIRE CREWS DIRECTING HOSE AT BLAZE PROTESTER BANGING BURNING VEHICLE WITH METAL POLE BURNED OUT COACHES WITH SMOKE RISING HOODED AND MASKED PROTESTERS YOUTHS ARMING THEMSELVES WITH PAVING STONES YOUTHS THROWING STONES OVER BURNING VEHICLES AT POLICE LINES RIOT POLICE SEEN THROUGH WINDOWS OF BURNED OUT BUS DEMONSTRATORS BEHIND LINE OF BURNED OUT BUSES VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS ARMING THEMSELVES WITH PAVING STONES BURNING VEHICLES SEEN IN DISTANCE WITH DEMONSTRATORS MILLING ABOUT EMERGENCY WORKERS / FIRE BRIGADE HOSE DIRECTED AT BURNING VEHICLE DEMONSTRATORS WITH FIRE BLAZING IN DISTANCE DEMONSTRATORS MILLING ABOUT / SMOKE RISING
  • Embargoed: 4th February 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ukraine
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Topics: Crime,General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA4UXAF3PZYYNYCP3B8XVMZMSTG
  • Story Text: Clashes between protesters and riot police stretched into the early hours of Monday (January 20) in the Ukrainian capital, after tough anti-protest legislation, which the political opposition says paves the way for a police state, was rushed through parliament last week.
    Masked demonstrators confronted police with sticks and smoke bombs. Some could be seen arming themselves with broken pavement chunks.
    Despite appeals from opposition leaders not to resort to violence, and a personal intervention from boxer-turned-politician Vitaly Klitschko, protesters continued to throw smoke bombs and hurl fireworks and other objects at police.
    The Interior Ministry said 30 police were hurt, including more than 10 admitted to hospital and four in serious condition.
    Police used water cannon against demonstrators gathered near the parliament building and the heavily protected government headquarters, eyewitnesses said.
    In Washington, the White House said it was "deeply concerned" about the violence on Sunday (January 19) in Kiev and urged both sides to "de-escalate the situation."
    The rally, the biggest of the new year, was the latest in a cycle of public protests in the former Soviet republic since President Viktor Yanukovich made a policy U-turn in November away from the European Union towards Russia, Ukraine's former Soviet overlord.
    Several big protests in December attracted hundreds of thousands of people, while thousands maintained a vigil in a Kiev square demanding Yanukovich resign. Since the new year demonstrations have become smaller, but hundreds of people are still camping in the square and 50,000 turned out a week ago.
    Although setting up an alternative power structure may not be realistic, Sunday's turnout suggested it could also be difficult for the authorities to try to solve the crisis by use of force despite the court ban and the new laws.
    Yanukovich triggered the pro-Europe rallies when he did an about-turn last November and ditched a free trade deal with the European Union in favour of closer economic ties with Russia.
    Russia has since thrown Ukraine a 15 billion USD lifeline in credits as well as a softer deal for purchases of strategic supplies of natural gas.
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