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Clashes amid huge Ukraine protest against U-turn on EU | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A huge rally has been taking place in the Ukrainian capital to oppose a government decision not to sign a deal on closer EU ties, despite a ban. | |
Casualties were reported after clashes between protesters and police on the fringes of the rally. | |
Police used tear gas and stun grenades to push back protesters near the presidential office. | |
Elsewhere in the city centre, protesters stormed the city council building and took it over. | |
News agencies said about 100,000 people rallied on Kiev's Independence Square, defying a ban imposed a day earlier. | |
Protesters are demanding the resignation of the government and new elections. President Viktor Yanukovych says Russian pressure was behind his decision not to sign the deal. | |
'Kiev is ours' | |
Demonstrators tried to approach President Yanukovych's headquarters, commandeering a bulldozer to break through police lines. | |
Police used tear gas and stun grenades to force the crowd back. | |
The Associated Press news agency said that dozens of people with what appeared to be head injuries were taken away by ambulances. | |
A police spokeswoman told AFP news agency that about 100 police were injured in the clashes there. | |
About a kilometre away, at the city council building, protesters broke windows to get inside the building. | |
They chanted "Kiev is ours" and hung a Ukrainian flag in the window. | They chanted "Kiev is ours" and hung a Ukrainian flag in the window. |
The protests started more than a week ago after President Yanukovych suspended preparations for signing an EU association agreement that would have opened borders to goods and set the stage for an easing of travel restrictions. | The protests started more than a week ago after President Yanukovych suspended preparations for signing an EU association agreement that would have opened borders to goods and set the stage for an easing of travel restrictions. |
Mr Yanukovych argued that Ukraine could not afford to sacrifice trade with Russia, which opposed the deal. | Mr Yanukovych argued that Ukraine could not afford to sacrifice trade with Russia, which opposed the deal. |
The Ukrainian president has said he is "deeply outraged" by events at opposition protests in Kiev. | The Ukrainian president has said he is "deeply outraged" by events at opposition protests in Kiev. |
He was speaking after police violently dispersed an opposition camp on Saturday. Several Western countries condemned the police intervention. | He was speaking after police violently dispersed an opposition camp on Saturday. Several Western countries condemned the police intervention. |
Jailed opposition leader and ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko earlier urged Ukrainians "not to leave the authorities' actions unanswered". | Jailed opposition leader and ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko earlier urged Ukrainians "not to leave the authorities' actions unanswered". |
She has been on hunger strike since Monday over the failure to sign the EU agreement. | She has been on hunger strike since Monday over the failure to sign the EU agreement. |