A rally was held on Thursday on Independence Square in the center of Kyiv to celebrate the eighth anniversary of the Orange Revolution, a mass protest that resulted in the revision of the results of an allegedly rigged presidential election and in liberal politician Viktor Yuschenko becoming president.
The rally was organized by the Orange Revolution Coalition and the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners.
Some of the participants were people holding photos of jailed former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko or flags of her Batkivschyna Party, and there was someone holding a U.S. flag.
Passersby were watching the rally, where speakers were urging the Ukrainians to remember the 2004 events and not to stay outside current political struggles.
Several dozen police were posted near the rally site on what is seen as Ukraine’s main square. There were also police in pedestrian tunnels leading to the nearest subway station.
There was no one near the Independence Monument on the square, however, because a huge New Year tree is being put up near the memorial and the area around it is cordoned off.
