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Ukrainian Rebel Supporters' March Ends in Violence
Ukraine observed the 64th anniversary of the foundation of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army last week. That army fought against both Germany and the Soviet Union during World War Two. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko signed an order declaring the insurgents freedom fighters, to the displeasure of leftist forces. The Party of the Regions and the communists, who have a majority in the parliament, are swearing that the presidential order will never become law. A march by Insurgent Army supporters over the weekend ended with numerous brawls.
Several dozen rightist youths began gathering on Kiev's Independence Square (“the Maidan”) on Friday night in preparation for Saturday's march. The Freedom Association, the UNA-UNSO Party and the Nationalist Youth Congress were represented there. At 8:00 on Saturday morning, about 1000 supporters of the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine and the Eurasian Youth Union gathered on Bessarabia Square to hold an alternative action. Police prevented those gathered for the alternative action from approaching any closer to the Maidan. Several people were detained by police for trying to break through the police cordon. Those who succeeded in passing the cordon encountered a second cordon on Kreshchatik St. One demonstrator was seriously injured in clashes with police at the second cordon.
On Bessarabia Square, meeting organizers declared over loudspeakers that the police were “killing” on Kreshchatik St., inciting the crowd to fire on the police with gas pistols and canisters. Police responded with clubs. Several demonstrators suffered broken bones. Injuries were reported among the police as well.
About 100 people carrying Communist Party of Ukraine flags gathered in front of the Central Telegraph building. They were surrounded by police there and not allowed to march.
About 5000 people came to Lyadskie Gate on the Maidan and organized themselves to march in the direction of Sofia Square. Priests from the Kievan Patriarchate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Autocephalic Orthodox Church joined the marchers. The crowd was so large that not everyone had set off from the Maidan when the first marchers reached Sofia Square, where veterans of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and politicians addressed the crowd. The names of Insurgent Army members who were shot by the Soviets or died in Soviet or German prisons were read, a moment of silence was observed, the national anthem was played and the meeting ended.
While that was going on, the standoff on Kreshchatik St. continued. Youth from both sides hurled insults at each other across the cordon of policemen. When firecrackers were thrown over the heads of the police from the side of the leftists, the cordon gave way and a brief brawl took place. Isolated fights in downtown Kiev lasted until the late evening and would have been more widespread if it were not for the 4000 police on patrol.
Artem Skoropadsky
All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 16, 2006
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