Read the morning coverage of the Dec. 1 events here, an afternoon and evening coverage of the Dec. 1 events here.
Watch video of EuroMaidan events here on live stream and hromadske.tv
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Police tell protesters to get out of the City Hall
Dec. 1, 11:55 p.m. The city police warned the protesters in the City Hall that they will “undertake measures” to clear the building if they do not leave it, without specifying.
“At the moment those present in these premises are offered to voluntary leave the administration building and not complicate the situation,” the police said in their statement.
“The capital’s police warns that in case of non-compliance with the lawful demands, the law enforcers will undertake corresponding measures to free the building from violators of law.”
Heavy police presence blocks road to president’s palatial suburban estate
Dec. 1, 11:36 p.m. Newly created online public broadcasting channel Hromadske TV reports that the road to President Viktor Yanukovych’s residence in Mezhyhirya, a northern Kyiv suburb called Novi Petrivstsi, is heavily guarded by traffic and riot police, including at least one masked man who won’t give his name.
Some residents of Novi Petrivtsi village who live next door to the president complain to the Hromadske TV reporters that authorities won’t let them go home for security reasons.
They say that when protesters in Kyiv were forcibly dispersed by riot police on Nov. 30, police presence significantly increased.
Watch the video coverage here in the Ukrainian language.
On more video here: http://hromadske.tv/episode/111
Fuele urges dialog in Ukraine
Dec. 1, 10:28 p.m. European Union Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fuele called on Ukrainians to resolve the current situation peacefully. “Differences must be resolved peacefully. Urge immediate dialog,” he said on his Twitter feed. — Katya Gorchinskaya
Police say eight officers were injured during the Lenin statue incident
Dec. 1, 10:25 p.m. Eight special police unit officers were injured during a clash with the mob late on Dec. 1 by Kyiv’s main Lenin statue on Shevchenko Boulevard. Most of them received injuries of limbs, some were injured on the head, the police said on its Facebook page. — Katya Gorchinskaya
Protesters dig in for night
Dec. 1, 10 p.m. Two protesters told the Kyiv Post that they will spend the night sleeping in tents on Independence Square, the epicenter of pro-European protests. They promised to contact the Kyiv Post if the “tent city” will be broken up by law enforcement over the course of the evening and night, which they say will number more than 3,000 sleeping places.
“I came to sleep here as I was outraged by the bloody break up of peaceful rally on Saturday (on Nov. 30 when police used excessive force to disperse the crowd). I have experience of this as I slept on (the) Maidan in 2004 (during the peaceful uprising of when Viktor Yanukovych was declared president during proven vote rigging),” said Volodymyr Polevyi, 36, a private entrepreneur from Kyiv. He added that he was planning to stay in the tent for several nights and believes that it will be calm this night as the police looks “demoralized.” – Oksana Grytsenko
Dec. 1. 9:50 p.m. Hromadske TV released an image of the entrance to the president’s residence Mezhyhirya several hours after a group of activists tried to get close to it. They were stopped by the riot police.
Berkut gets reinforcements, injured get medical help
Dec. 1. 8:50 p.m. At least two riot police officers got injured while protecting the Lenin monument. They’re getting help from doctors who arrived in an ambulance. Riot police are getting reinforcements, are surrounding the Lenin monument and putting gas masks on. The angry mob shouts “shame!” but is not attacking. — Katya Gorchinskaya
Klitschko talks to protesters on Bankova Street
Dec. 1. 8:00 p.m. Klitschko tried to calm down the protestors by the president’s administration. “We need to have vast support of people, but we do not need warfare.” About 100 people are still staying close-by. More people are approaching the president’s administration, but they are being warned by the people not to approach. — Oksana Grytsenko
Berkut attacked by the mob
Dec. 1. 8:22 p.m. An angry mob attacked Berkut special police unit that moved in to protect Lenin statue on Shevchenko Boulevard. The crowd attacked with rocks, ladders and sticks, Berkut responded by throwing tear gas grenades randomly into the crowd. At least one Berkut member was heavily injured and taken to Prego restaurant.
City Hall is still controlled by the crowd
Dec. 8:12 p.m. People are coming in and out of city council. The words “revolutionary tribunal” are written under the Kyiv City State Administration plate. Many are picturing themselves on mobs. A woman is waving red-black nationalist flag by front door to the building. — Mark Rachkevych
Police ask for information on instigators of clashes
Dec. 6:30 p.m. The Interior Ministry released a statement on its FB page (their site is down, as is the president’s) asking citizens to volunteer any information on provocateurs of clashes today. they said they’re prepared to receive information in any way, and list phone numbers: (044) 254-91-02 or 0-800-50-02-02, or 102. “Moreover, the law enforcers are asking the organizers and participants of demonstrations to refrain from unlawful actions,” the statement says.
Kyiv authorities say 22 people sought emergency medical treatment
Dec. 1 7:36 p.m. As of 4 p.m. 22 people had been injured and sought medical attention in emergency rooms in clashes during today’s mass demonstrations in Kyiv, according to the health department of the Kyiv City State Administration. In most cases, those injured were treated for chemical burns of the eyes and bodily injuries, according to Interfax-Ukraine. — Christopher J. Miller
Motorcade is coming back from Mezhyhirya
Dec. 1, 6:13 p.m. A motorcade that attempted to reach Mezhyhirya is going back to Kyiv, according to Bohdan Kutiepov, a Hromadske TV reporter who is traveling to the president’s residence. “We have missed it, we’re just going to see the Berkut that guards Mezhyhirya,” he says.
Kutiepov added that there were about 50-100 people who traveled in a motorcade, but did not have more details. — Katya Gorchinskaya
Police stop motorcade from heading to president’s residence
Dec. 1, 6 p.m. Radio Stolytsia is reporting that Berkut riot police have stopped a motorcade of protesters from heading towards the residence of President Viktor Yanukovych in Mezhyhirya, a suburb north of Kyiv. Opposition leaders are saying that Yanukovych is planning on declaring a state of emergency on Dec. 2. Russia’s Itar-Tass news agency reported earlier today that the president held meetings with the nation’s ministers at his residence, including Oleksandr Popov, the mayor of Kyiv. – Brian Bonner and Mark Rachkevych
Crowd concetrates on Maidan Nezalezhnosti
Dec. 1, 5: 03 p.m. After being pushed out of Bankova Street, demonstrators continue flooding Maidan Nezalezhnosti. –-Katya Gorchinskaya
Presidential and Interior Ministry websites down
Dec. 1, 5 p.m. The official websites of Ukraine’s presidential administration and interior ministry that controls more than 300,000 law enforcement personnel has been down for most part of the day. Local media reports say that hackers are the cause although no group has taken responsibility for it. — Mark Rachkevych
Riot police clear Presidential Administration building
Dec. 1, 4:50 Riot police have cleared the area around the Presidential Administration building of protesters on Bankova Street, according to Kyiv Post photographer Konstyantyn Chernichkin, and Interfax Ukraine. – Mark Rachkevych
Dec. 1, 4:45 p.m. Hundreds of protesters, mostly young people, gathered near the Cabinet of Ministers, chanting “shame” to the police guard. Around 150 people came from Ivano-Frankivsk alone to support the pro-European rallies. They warned the demonstrators to be aware of provocations and called on a peaceful strike.
“We’re not afraid to gather here,” Yuriy Solovey, the leader of the group said. “We haven’t had such massive rallies since 1991. And we need to be reactive enough to stand until the end and call for the government’s resignation,” Solovey adds. In some minutes he announced that the opposition have occupied the City Hall and the main labor union building. The crowd burst in applause. They then continued to chant, “police is with a monster, but should be with a nation.”– Olena Goncharova
Dec. 1, 4:17 p.m. Poroshenko says there are hired provocators outside the presidential building, which have been stopped for now. “I am stating that there are 1,500 hired thugs (outside the president’s administration), they are armed and are located there for provocations.”
At the moment, men in the crowd are calling for boxers and sportsmen to go to front. “Gased again,” says Kyiv Post reporter Christopher Miller. “Medic who helped me said they will stay as long as it takes. Named Maxim, says he studies medicine.”
Gate of building close to Presidential Administration partially broken
Dec. 1, 4:15 p.m. People broke the gate of a park on the corner of Bankova and Instytutska and are approaching the president’s administration through the park. There is still smoke on Instytutska. Police used stun grenades to repel protesters, one of which hit a protester on the back, reports Hromadske.tv – Olga Rudenko
Roundup as of Dec. 1, 4:09 p.m.
Some 350,000-500,000 protesters took the streets in central Kyiv to call on the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych and Prime Minister Mykola Azarov’s government.
Opposition leaders have occupied the nation’s main labor union building and city hall building. They along with ex-Interior Minister Yuri Lutsenko as well as celebrities have called a general, nationwide strike for Dec. 2, urging people to skip work and take to the streets to continue asking for Ukraine’s leaders to resign.
Protesters on their own without leadership, many of whom covered their faces, attacked police guarding the Presidential Administration during which eight interior ministry personnel sustained injuries, Ukrainska Pravda reported. — Mark Rachkevych
Singer calls for countrywide strike
Dec. 1, 3:45 p.m. Speaking to crowds on Independence Square Ukrainian singer Irena Karpa is encouraging the nation to go on general strike – to skip work, boycott Russian products and continue the protests – on Dec. 2. – Olena Goncharova
Eight police personnel injured at Presidential Administration building
Dec. 1, 3:15 p.m. Five riot police have sustained bodily injuries and three have been chemically poisoned from an unknown gas, Ukrainska Pravda reports, citing an interior ministry announcement. – Mark Rachkevych
Six massive booms on Bankova
Dec. 1, 3:47 p.m. Six massive booms are reported on Bankova, smoke is everywhere. – Christopher Miller.
There were loud female screams heard from Bankova Street. People are shouting “Shame”. — Olga Rudenko
New storm at Bankova Street, panic starts
Dec. 1, 3:47 p.m.People outside the president’s administration are chanting”Bandits out!” and “Convict out!”. They are gearing up again to busting thorugh the security. Many people were poisoned by gas, people fell down on the ground and were helped up. Police threw smoke bombs into the crowd. There is a man holding a Berkut helmet like a trophy. The crowd erupts.
More gas and clashes with police again. Another man down. The front-loader is still standing in front on the president’s administration. More shots are heard. People are running to Instytutska in panic, some return again. —Daryna Shevchenko and Christopher Miller.
People faint on Bankova
Dec. 1, 3:33 p.m. At least two people fainted on Bankova Street, and are now being treated by doctors from ambulances that arrived to the site. Ambulances took at least a few people away. — Olga Rudenko and Christopher Miller.
People are forced out of Bankova by smoke
Dec. 1, 3:27 p.m. Protesters were forced to flee Bankova Street beacuse of heavy smoke from smoke bombs. Tear gas was also used. But people are crowding the crossroads with Instytitska Street and refusing to leave. — Olga Rudenko
Yatseniuk: ‘Yanukovych crossed the line’
Dec. 1, 3:25 p.m. Arseniy Yatseniuk says “It wasn’t us, it was Yanukovych who broke the line, when by his order our children were beaten by monsters who call themselves the police.” He demanded sanctions for Yanukovych and his cronies. Singer Ruslana sang national anthem wirh people, many of whom switched on torches. Opposition announced a national strike and launched construction of a tent city on Maidan Nezalezhnosti. — Mark Rachkevych
People getting hurt by the presiden’t administration
Dec. 1, 3:23 p.m. At least three people got injured outside of the presidential administration building, receiving head injuries from road bricks flying. Kyiv Post reporter Chris Miller was hurt on the arm and got a lot of smoke and was dragged oput of the crowd by some of the protesters to catch his breath. There are a lot of flares and smoke, but as far as reporters could see, protesters did not break through special police units into the building.
Thousands in masks with sticks and crowbars. Throwing bricks and smoke bombs. — Christopher Miller
Fight, fire, smoke in front of president’s building
Dec. 1, 3:23 p.m. There is a lot of smoke outside the president’s administration building, there is fire there, too. New special police units have appeared behind the old lot, they look like they’re wearing fire-proof gear. Many protesters are leaving the site. — Christopher Miller, Daryna Shevchenko and Olga Rudenko.
Dec. 1, 3:20 p.m. A fight breaks out in front of the president’s administration. People are throwing sidewalk bricks at guards outside the administration and hit them with sticks. –– Olga Rudenko
Dec. 1, 3:20 p.m. Poroshenko is on the front-end loader near Presidential Administration building. He is trying to persuade the crowd to go back to Maidan Nezalezhnosti, but it’s almost impossible to make out his words. There was a smoke bomb released, and an explosion heard. Many people now carry sticks that look like flag poles. — Christopher Miller, Daryna Shevchenko and Olga Rudenko.
Poroshenko arrives to Bankova Street
Dec. 1, 3:00 p.m. Petro Poroshenko arrives to Bankova Street to the cheers of crowds. “It’s hellish here,” reports Olga Rudenko.
Poroshenko: 350,000 people are out in the streets
Dec. 1, 2:57 p.m. Businessman and opposition leader Petro Poroshenko says there are 350,000 people in Maidan Nezalezhnosti. “We demand Ukraine go back to signing association. If president doesn’t sign, Ukrainian people will ink the deal instead of him,” he says. In the meantime, protesters on Bankova Street are trying to stop the tractor which is breaking a fence outside the presidential administration building. They are shouting “Only peaceful action!”, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The radio’s reporter estimate of the number of people in the street is 500,000. — Oksana Grytsenko, Mark Rachkevych.
Dec. 1, 2:52 p.m. A huge front-end loader is driving towards columns of police on Bankova Street who are guarding the Presidential Administration building. Hundreds of police in gas masks are being reinforced by more police. It is very tense, very. – Christopher J. Miller
Tweet from Lutsenko: “Cabmin is taken” turns out to be fake
Dec. 1, 2:40 p.m. Yuriy Lutsenko, the former Interior Minister, tweeted “Cabmin is taken.” His information was later refuted by news agencies who said everything was quiet outside of the Cabinet. In the meantime, about 200 Interior troops faced attackers at Bankova Street who are trying to break down the fence around the president’s administration building. — Lvad Lavrov, Katya Gorchinskaya
European Parliament Vice President addresses tells crowd they’re Europeans too
Dec. 1, 2:36 p.m. Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, one of the 14 European Parliament’s vice presidents, told a crowd of more than 100,000 protesters on Independence Square that they are part of the greater European community.
“You are a part of Europe …so there’s no exception for excessive police force (to be used against you),” Saryusz-Wolski said of Poland, adding that the guilty of the violent police force should be brought to justice.
– Oksana Grytsenko
Lutsenko promises government will resign in next five days
Dec. 1, 2:24 p.m. Former Interior Minister Yuri Lutsenko, who was imprisoned for three years on what the West has called trumped up charges, said the government will resign in the next five days. – Oksana Grytsenko
Dec. 1, 2:35 p.m. A masked group of people driving a tractor are trying to knock down the metal fence around the Presidential Administrational building, according to Hromadske.tv. The tractor used to break the fence was left on Maidan Nezalezhnosti by the communal workers who were setting up a Christmas Tree. Police remain passive and are not trying to break up the protesters or force them away from the building. There are four rows of Berkut riot police behind the metal fence guarding the president’s administration, then two rows of buses. The police are urging the demonstrators through a loudspeaker to stop attacking. — Katya Gorchinskaya
Batkivshchyna claims 500,000 people are at rally
Dec. 1, 2:32 p.m. The opposition Batkivshchyna party has reason to inflate the estimates for today’s rally, but — after being in the street — it’s not so easy to argue with their claim that 500,000 people showed up to today’s street action that is ongoing today in several places — Maidan Nezalezhnosti as well as outside the Presidential Administration on Bankova Street. — Brian Bonner
More people walk to Bankova Street
Dec. 1, 2:22 p.m. About 1,000 people on Bankova Street, and more are coming along Instytutska and Horodetskoho, the nearby streets. People say they are going to the Cabinet and president’s administration to demand resignation of top officials. There are many buses parked around the perimeter of top government buildings. It looks like they are left there to disperse the crowds if the need be. — Mariia Shamota
Report of tear gas on Bankova Street
Tetyana Kremen on her Facebook page said: “On Bankova, gas is being released. People are running and then getting back.” Bankova is where the Presidential Administration is located. — Katya Gorchinskaya
Procession to Khreshchatyk Street along Shevchenko Boulevard ends at 1:40 p.m.
Dec. 1, 2:12 p.m. The guard at Kyiv’s Premier Palace Hotel, on Shevchenko Boulevard and Khreshchatyk Street, says the last of the procession passed by at 1:40 p.m., 100 minutes after it started. An impressive display of humanity. –– Brian Bonner
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Kyiv police chief resigns
Dec. 1, 2 p.m. The chief of Kyiv’s police, Valeriy Koryak, tendered his resignation in front of an interior ministry council, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported on Dec. 1.
“I would like to address you, Mr. Minister (Valeriy Zakharchenko) to consider accepting my resignation, said Koryak, according to Radio Free Liberty.
Kyiv police spokesperson Olha Bilyk said the interior council meeting took place today on Dec. 1.
Very early morning on Nov. 30, police used brutal and violent force to disperse a crowd of peaceful, pro-European protesters on Independence Square, sending dozens to the hospital. Zakharchenko on the same day said the police were provoked by the protesters saying the crowd interfered with workers trying set up the city’s main Christmas tree on the square. He said the crowd three lit firewood and plastic bottles at the police.
U.S. and European officials criticized the excessive use of police force.
In turn, Radio Free Liberty reported, Zakharchenko said that Koryak was being temporarily suspended from his post as Kyiv police chief until an official investigation probe ends into the matter.
On Nov. 30, the president’s chief of staff Serhiy Lyovochkin resigned his post. Pro-government lawmaker Inna Bohoslovska also left the Party of Regions. – Mark Rachkevych
People start gathering outside of Cabinet building
Dec. 1, 2:06 p.m. People start gathering outside the Cabinet building, another site that is supposed to be off bouds for protesters, according to a court decision. They hear noises coming from Bankova Street similar to drum beats or sticks hitting metal riot gear. — Mariia Shamota
Protesters move to Bankova Street close to president’s office
Dec. 1, 1:55 p.m. Crowds have spilled out of Maidan Nezalezhnosti and moved to Bankova Street, where the president’s office is located. The office is guarded heavily by the police. A court banned gatherings of more than three people on that and a number of other streets. In the meantime, crouds of many thousands of people chanted “Out with the thugs” and sang the Ukrainian anthem. — Katya Gorchinskaya
Windows broken at Kyiv City State Administration building
Dec. 1, 1:49 p.m. The crowd of protesters broke several windows in the mayor’s office building, located on Khreshchatyk Street, but nobody attempted to enter the building, Interfax-Ukraine news agency reports. This is a very bad sign, if true, because it’s exactly the kind of trouble — vandalism, fights — that give authorities justification for a heavy police presence. — Katya Gorchinskaya
SEE KYIV POST COVERAGE OF THE NOV. 30 POLICE CRACKDOWN ON EUROMAIDAN HERE:
Interior minister justifies police attacks to EU, US ambassadors
Back to the Middle Ages on the way to Europe: Beaten Kyiv protesters take refuge in church yard
Yanukovych says police beatings not his fault
Kyiv police chief admits ordering attack on EuroMaidan protesters
Opposition under fire for failure to protect protesters
Victims describe excessive, indiscriminate attacks
Lyovochkin, Yanukovych’s chief of staff, resigns
Police say protesters provoked violence
Police attack on Kyiv’s EuroMaidan demonstrators draws international outrage
Police were ‘like a machine cleaning the street,’ says a beating victim
More than 100,000 people petition Obama for sanctions against Yanukovych
Police violently break up Independence Square protests at 4 a.m. today; many injuries reported
SEE OTHER KYIV POST EUROMAIDAN COVERAGE HERE:
EuroMaidan rallies on Nov. 29: EuroMaidan rallies in Ukraine
EuroMaidan rallies on Nov. 28: EuroMaidan rallies in Ukraine
EuroMaidan rallies on Nov. 27: EuroMaidan rallies in Ukraine
EuroMaidan rallies on Nov. 26: EuroMaidan rallies in Ukraine
EuroMaidan rallies on Nov. 25: EuroMaidan rallies in Ukraine
EuroMaidan rallies on Nov. 24: EuroMaidan rallies in Ukraine
EuroMaidan rallies from Nov. 21-23: EuroMaidan rallies in Ukraine
See also coverage of the first night of the protests: “Nine years after start of Orange Revolution, Kyivans take to streets in protest of scuttled EU deal”
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