5 Policemen Wounded during Equality March in Kyiv

At least ten participants and five policemen were wounded during the Equality March in Kyiv. One policeman is in serious condition.

Police provided protection during the event, but, afterwards, the attackers tracked down some of the Equality March participants.

Equality March (or KyivPride) is a public human rights demonstration which demands equal rights and opportunities for citizens of Ukraine who belong to the LGBT community. “The purpose of our March is to highlight the problems and call for a change in policy,” organizers said on the eve of KyivPride.

At ten o’clock on Obolonska embankment, where the Equality March was taking place, only registered participants were allowed. Police stood close by and organizers and volunteers formed a security convoy. From time to time, were heard slogans like “Rights are not given, they are taken,” “Human rights come first,” and others. Visitors from abroad were also welcomed. Notably, Swedish Ambassador Andreas von Beckerath came to support the Equality March.

The Equality March was joined by a large delegation from Munich, along with Montreal Pride and representatives from Georgia, Armenia, Moldova, Belarus, and Russia. The guests also included well-known Russian journalist Masha Gessen and LGBT activist Igor Yasin, as pointed out by KyivPride co-organizer Stanislav Mishchenko to Human Rights Information Center correspondent.

“There is always a balance between security and rights. Sometimes security is used to cover violations of rights. But, in our case, we believe that we managed to achieve a balance. I believe that the will and the struggle for rights is both acceptable for Ukrainians, and is a traditional value,” Mishchenko responded to the question of safety during the Equality March.

There were also Ukrainian MPs who attended Pride, Svetlana Zalischuk and Sergiy Leshchenko.

Although organizers advised wearing comfortable clothes and neutral colors, a group of, at most, 10 people, wearing carnival costumes stood out. They beat drums and danced.

“We represent the Samba Band ‘Rhythms of Resistance,’ a global network of activists who always participate in activities in bright costumes to show that the protests may also be bright, carnival, and fun. It is a principle of our work to bring fun into even the most serious event and, in this way, protest against injustice,” commented one of the RoR participants.

Later, when the column began to move, about ten young people began to run toward them throwing smoke bombs. The police responded instantly. They quickly ran ahead of the column, isolating participants from the attackers. Provocateurs managed to drop three smoke bombs.

A shout resounded in the air: “Ambulance! An ambulance is needed urgently…” As it later turned out, one policeman was severely injured in the neck. They carried him to the side and immediately began first aid.

The attackers were pushed back to the walls of nearby houses. There were about fifteen. One of them – a very young man – needed help.  Volunteer doctors bandaged his head.

Organizers regained the movement of the column. The March lasted for about another half hour. After that, the participants were asked to roll their flags and disperse without attracting attention. However, the attacks continued.

People tracked the participants on Heroiv Stalinhradu (Heroes of Stalingrad) street, near the Minska metro station. Among the victims were passers-by who did not even participate in the March.

One participant commented, “We are at a historic event. There was a time in the United States when black people were attacked.”

“Despite the injured policeman, I stood near where is was injured and I hope he will be safe and sound, the organizers have chosen a safe place, the address was kept secret until the very end, and the police escorted the column. But, what struck me was that, after the demonstration was over, you are just supposed to leave. What followed the demonstration was treated by the attackers as still the same demonstration,” an observer named Karina Moskalenko, a lawyer from Strasbourg, commented.

Yesterday, President Petro Poroshenko, commenting on the Equality March, said that he sees no reason for preventing the March, but that he was not going to go there.