Activists protesting Ukrainian president’s refusal of a trade deal with EU rally in capital Kiev and attempt to enter presidential office.
Ukrainian police used tear gas and batons to impede the activists entering presidential office during the demonstrations in the capital Kiev of Ukraine.
A crowded group of protestors rallying at Independence Square reportedly entered the presidential office nearby and police intervened in the group with tear gas and batons.
Tens of protestors who were injured on their heads were dispatched to hospitals with ambulances.
Meawhile, some of the activists protesting the Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in the capital Kiev who declined a deal to sign a partnership and free trade agreement with the EU reportedly entered city council building.
Security forces besieged around of the building in which the protestors penetrated by breaking the windows, said a BBC news.
On the other hand, witnesses said they saw ascending smoke inside the building, adding however security forces did not attempt to enter the building as well.
Officials dispatched many ambulances and fire trucks to the scene.
Yanukovych declined the deal on the grounds that it would spoil relations with Russia. The president convened EU leaders at a summit in Vilnius, Lithuania and did not change his resolution despite all insistences of the union.
Oppositon parties held an immense demonstration with the participation of tens of thousands of people in Kiev on Sunday to protest the resolution.
Germany calls on Ukraine to respect right to protest
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has urged Ukraine on Sunday to protect pro-European peaceful protestors from any sort of intimidation and violence.
“I strongly call on the Ukrainian government to ensure the freedom of assembly and to protect the peaceful demonstrators from any kind of intimidation and violence,” Westerwelle stressed in a written statement on Sunday.
German Foreign Minister has underlined that protestors taking to the streets in Kiev and other major cities demand a “European Ukraine” and that is “their right.”
“We share desire of these protestors to quickly bring Ukraine closer to the EU,” Westerwelle stressed. “Our offer stands for that.”
German Foreign Minister has also underlined that Ukraine’s being the current chair of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) should be a special incentive for the Kiev government to respect common European values.
Tens of thousands of protestors are rallying in Kiev and other major cities for days to protest government’s decision not to sign a key “Association Agreement” with the EU.
Ukraine is set to host OSCE Foreign Ministers meeting next week.
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