Thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets of Kiev late on Saturday in a show of defiance directed at President Viktor Yanukovich after riot police forcibly cleared several hundred pro-EU protesters from the capital’s main square earlier in the morning. The police operation wound up injuring dozens and temporarily detaining about 30 activists.
Thousands of people swarmed “spontaneously” on to Kiev’s streets, reported the Financial Times, cheered on by hundreds of citizens driving their cars through the capital’s downtown area, honking horns in front of government buildings and waving flags of Ukraine and the European Union.
Other protesters blocked traffic along Ukraine’s main street, chanting: “Revolution, Revolution. Glory to Ukraine. Glory to the heroes. Out with the bandits.”
Protesters have been angered by the government’s recent reported decision to back away from signing a historic EU integration agreement in favor of reviving closer ties with Russia.