Ukraine police disperse EU-deal protesters

[alp227]

Source: BBC

Riot police in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, have forcefully dispersed hundreds of protesters, beating some with truncheons, witnesses say.

Protest organiser Sergei Milnichenko said tear gas had also been used as police moved in at about 04:30 (02:30 GMT) on Saturday.

It followed fresh rallies against President Viktor Yanukovych's refusal to sign an EU association agreement.

Unconfirmed reports said a number of people had been hurt.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25164990

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More coverage:

Kyiv Post

Al Jazeera

Reuters

AP

[pampango]

1. "They threw us away like garbage."

More than 1,000 people, most of them students, were in the square when police moved in, activists said.

"It was horrible. We were holding a peaceful demonstration and they attacked us," said protester Lada Tromada. "They threw us away like garbage."

Last week, Mr Yanukovych said he was suspending preparations for signing an EU association agreement that would have opened borders to goods and set the stage for an easing of travel restrictions.

He said pressure from Russia had led him to make his decision. Mr Yanukovych argued that Ukraine could not afford to sacrifice trade with Russia, which opposed the deal.

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

2. Yanukovych was and remains...

...the stooge of Putin. Ukraine's future lies with the EU, not with Russia.