'Attacks were meant to intimidate us': Femen
Anna Hutsol, the founder of the Ukrainian feminist movement Femen, was recently attacked at a café in Kyiv. She describes how activists are coming under more pressure - and how that is spurring on their work.
DW: How would you describe the most recent disturbing events around your women's rights group Femen? You were personally attacked, your personal advisor was beaten by strangers, and activists with your movement were arrested.
Anna Hutsol: Intimidation against the Femen movement is continuing. It's part of an attempt to hinder protest actions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, Vladimir Gundyaev [also known as Kirill]. As fighters for freedom and democracy, we've repeatedly carried out actions in Russia and Ukraine - against the dictator Putin and the increasing influence of the church patriarchy upon public opinion. We even had an action in Hannover [Germany]. There's always the attempt to stop us and repress the protests. The horrifying attacks against us over the past few days represent the personal retribution of Putin and Gundyaev.
Why do you believe that?
Last year, our activist Yana Zhdanova protested topless against Patriarch Kirill as he traveled to Ukraine for celebrations around the anniversary of the Kievan Rus [the conversion to Christianity in the Middle Ages of the Slavic state comprising Russia, Belarus and Ukraine]. She wanted to protest against the imprisonment of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot. Her slogan was "Kill Kirill." Putin felt personally offended, as well. For that reason, I can confidently state in the name of the whole movement that the Russian secret service - working with Ukrainian agencies and police - is behind the Femen attacks.
http://www.dw.de/attacks-were-meant-to-intimidate-us-femen/a-16985670