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In Kiev City Hall, Energized Protesters Settle In for a Long Winter’s Uprising In Kiev City Hall, Energized Protesters Settle In for a Long Winter’s Uprising
(about 2 hours later)
KIEV, Ukraine — On the granite facade of the hulking City Hall building near Independence Square, the center of the protests here, graffiti in black spray paint declares “Headquarters of the Revolution!!” Inside, protesters are preparing for a long stay.KIEV, Ukraine — On the granite facade of the hulking City Hall building near Independence Square, the center of the protests here, graffiti in black spray paint declares “Headquarters of the Revolution!!” Inside, protesters are preparing for a long stay.
Unlike the Orange Revolution of 2004, which forced the revote of a presidential election after 17 days of protests, this uprising could well be a protracted affair, with protesters pushing for the dismissal of the entire government as well as the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovich. Unlike the Orange Revolution of 2004, which forced the revote of a presidential election after 17 days of protests, this uprising could well be a protracted affair, with protesters pushing for the dismissal of the entire government as well as the ouster of President Viktor F. Yanukovich.
City Hall has been transformed into a makeshift kitchen and hotel. Protesters sleep in the colonnaded hallways, bundled in their sleeping bags. Coming in from the cold, they line up for plastic plates heaped with boiled potatoes, stacks of pancakes or slabs of raw bacon on slices of bread, hearty fare for long hours in the cold. A mound of donated warm clothes — sheepskin jackets, thick sweaters and boxes of stocking caps — lies in one corner.City Hall has been transformed into a makeshift kitchen and hotel. Protesters sleep in the colonnaded hallways, bundled in their sleeping bags. Coming in from the cold, they line up for plastic plates heaped with boiled potatoes, stacks of pancakes or slabs of raw bacon on slices of bread, hearty fare for long hours in the cold. A mound of donated warm clothes — sheepskin jackets, thick sweaters and boxes of stocking caps — lies in one corner.
More to the point, the protesters are taking unusual measures to assure they will not easily be routed, building booby traps designed to make riot police officers think twice about storming the building.More to the point, the protesters are taking unusual measures to assure they will not easily be routed, building booby traps designed to make riot police officers think twice about storming the building.
The defensive measures already in place borrow from the tactics of the street politics playing out in Kiev. A heap of plywood sits midway up the administrative building’s elegant central staircase; dozens of shrink-wrapped half-gallon bottles of water have been positioned one flight up, ready to be released on any advancing officers.The defensive measures already in place borrow from the tactics of the street politics playing out in Kiev. A heap of plywood sits midway up the administrative building’s elegant central staircase; dozens of shrink-wrapped half-gallon bottles of water have been positioned one flight up, ready to be released on any advancing officers.
The protesters have also stashed bags of trash and heavy sacks of dry concrete powder at the tops of staircases, to hurl down if necessary, said Volodymyr M. Karpinsky, 26, a City Council member from Ternopil in western Ukraine, while leading a tour of the building’s fortifications.The protesters have also stashed bags of trash and heavy sacks of dry concrete powder at the tops of staircases, to hurl down if necessary, said Volodymyr M. Karpinsky, 26, a City Council member from Ternopil in western Ukraine, while leading a tour of the building’s fortifications.
Furniture has been pulled across doorways, creating a jumble intended to prevent riot police officers from coming through in a line with their plexiglass shields interlocked — the preferred tactic. Protesters have also unspooled the building’s fire hoses, preparing to spray the police.Furniture has been pulled across doorways, creating a jumble intended to prevent riot police officers from coming through in a line with their plexiglass shields interlocked — the preferred tactic. Protesters have also unspooled the building’s fire hoses, preparing to spray the police.
The idea, Mr. Karpinsky said, was to ensure that any police action would indeed create chaos, with multiple and potentially serious injuries on all sides. Drawing maximum attention to any ham-handed dispersal effort was a central goal, he said, noting that it was just such a scene that galvanized the protest movement over the weekend.The idea, Mr. Karpinsky said, was to ensure that any police action would indeed create chaos, with multiple and potentially serious injuries on all sides. Drawing maximum attention to any ham-handed dispersal effort was a central goal, he said, noting that it was just such a scene that galvanized the protest movement over the weekend.
“We don’t have weapons or anything illegal,” Mr. Karpinsky said. “We have furniture and water.”“We don’t have weapons or anything illegal,” Mr. Karpinsky said. “We have furniture and water.”
He nodded toward a desk wedged in a doorway. “It will be difficult for them to get past the furniture,” he said. “I like the furniture.”He nodded toward a desk wedged in a doorway. “It will be difficult for them to get past the furniture,” he said. “I like the furniture.”
The protesters have occupied the building’s bottom two stories, including the ceremonial entrance. They say they allow city employees through to work in the offices above in the 10-floor building, but that few have shown up. The protesters have occupied the building’s bottom two stories, including the ceremonial entrance. They say that they allow city employees through to work in the offices above in the 10-floor building, but that few have shown up.
“This is the people’s building, and here we are,” said Ruslan D. Khalbayev, 38, a small-business man, a member of a group manning the piles of bottled water at the top of a stairwell. “People came to speak to the City Council. The council members are gone, so we’ll wait for them to come back.” “This is the people’s building, and here we are,” said Ruslan D. Khalbayev, 38, a small-business man, a member of a group stationed at the piles of bottled water at the top of a stairwell. “People came to speak to the City Council. The Council members are gone, so we’ll wait for them to come back.”
Inside, Valery S. Pukalenko, 18, a university sophomore, was loitering in the foyer, a Ukrainian flag tied about his neck, eating an open-face sandwich of sausage and butter. “This is so cool,” he said. Inside, Valery S. Pukalenko, 18, a university sophomore, loitered in the foyer, a Ukrainian flag tied about his neck, eating an open-face sandwich of sausage and butter. “This is so cool,” he said.
Asked where the mayor had gone, he shrugged and said, “I don’t know.”Asked where the mayor had gone, he shrugged and said, “I don’t know.”