Crowds of Ukrainians clashed with police while protesting President Viktor Yanukovych's economic and political policies, which critics say are moving the nation further away from a free-market democracy.
Hundreds of demonstrators launched the spring round of protests with a “Day of Anger” on May 14, demanding the resignation of Yanukovych and Verkhovna Rada lawmakers.
About 1,500 protesters gathered again on May 19, also at Kyiv’s Mariyinsky Park.
They protested rising prices, cronyism, demanded higher wages and pensions.
On May 14, police detained several activists and charged them with minor violations.
Protest leader Oleksandr Danylyuk said law enforcement threatened to arrest him for holding unsanctioned protests.
Police officers clash with protesters in front of parliament in Kyiv on May 14.
Police say a court order banned gatherings at the site.
The police intervened when protesters tried to set up tents in Mariyinsky Park.
Unlike on May 14, on May 19 the protest went without clashes.
The people who gathered were a mix of youth, small business owners and pensioners.
More protests are planned.
Kyiv Post staff writer Yuriy Onyshkiv can be reached at [email protected].
