UKRAINE: Demonstrators demanding municipal elections to be held in Kiev clash with police
Record ID:
863054
UKRAINE: Demonstrators demanding municipal elections to be held in Kiev clash with police
- Title: UKRAINE: Demonstrators demanding municipal elections to be held in Kiev clash with police
- Date: 2nd October 2013
- Summary: KIEV, UKRAINE (OCTOBER 2, 2013) (REUTERS) DEMONSTRATION IN FRONT OF KIEV MAYOR'S OFFICE DEMONSTRATORS IN FRONT OF ENTRANCE RIOT POLICEMEN RIOT POLICEMEN AND DEMONSTRATORS DEMONSTRATOR WITH LOUDSPEAKER DEMONSTRATOR ATTEMPTING TO CROSS POLICE CORDON POLICEMEN HOLDING BARRIERS DEMONSTRATORS PULLING BARRIERS POLICE SCUFFLES BETWEEN DEMONSTRATORS AND POLICE VARIOUS POLICE HOLDING BARRIERS / DEMONSTRATORS PULLING BARRIERS POLICEMAN BEING PUSHED AROUND BY CROWD TEAR GAS AND DEMONSTRATORS DEMONSTRATORS TEAR GAS ON STREET OPPOSITION LEADER ARSENIY YATSENYUK SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) OPPOSITION LEADER ARSENIY YATSENYUK, SAYING: "(We will) appeal to the Council of Europe to support Ukrainian self-governance and for the Council of Europe to set clear conditions for Viktor Yanukovych and his clan, which now rules Ukraine, regarding the election of the mayor of Kiev, to hold elections for the Kiev City Council and to hold elections in all regional centres, where Victor Yanukovych is afraid of losing." VARIOUS DEMONSTRATION
- Embargoed: 17th October 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Ukraine
- City:
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVABQ87B96ONUICLNQNKW3AATD7X
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Ukrainian police fired tear gas on Wednesday (October 2) to disperse protesters trying to enter the city council building in the capital Kiev.
No casualties were reported in the incident, which occurred when demonstrators began dismantling metal crowd barriers and trying to grab officers' helmets outside the building on Kiev's broad main boulevard.
Thousands of opposition protesters had gathered to rally against what they say is an illegitimate council session.
They say the mandate of the legislature, which is dominated by allies of President Viktor Yanukovich, ended in June and that a new election must be held.
Opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk addressed the demonstrators, saying an appeal will be made to the Council of Europe regarding the issue.
"(We will) appeal to the Council of Europe to support Ukrainian self-governance and for the Council of Europe to set clear conditions for Viktor Yanukovych and his clan, which now rules Ukraine, regarding the election of the mayor of Kiev, to hold elections for the Kiev City Council and to hold elections in all regional centres, where Victor Yanukovych is afraid of losing."
Control of the council in Kiev, a city of 3 million, could give the government or its opponents an advantage in Ukraine's next presidential election in 2015, political analysts say.
The opposition said five protesters were detained in Wednesday's protest. Police did not give a figure but said those who were detained would be charged with hooliganism. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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