Officials say 2 police captured by Kiev protesters

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP:Excite.

By JIM HEINTZ

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - Anti-government protesters on Saturday seized a regional administration building, news reports said, and officials warned that police could storm the Kiev city hall to free two policemen allegedly captured by demonstrators.
Protesters have occupied the city hall for nearly two months and turned it into a makeshift dormitory and headquarters. Protesters deny they are holding the officers.
A ministry statement warned that police would storm the building if the two officers were not released. It said another officer who had been injured while being seized had been released and was hospitalized in serious condition.
The city hall is only a few hundred meters (yards) from both the site of protracted clashes between police and protesters over the past week and Independence Square, where demonstrators have set up an extensive tent camp and conducted round-the-clock protests since early December.

FULL story at link.



Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140125/DABHQL182.html

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A protester throws a Molotov cocktail onto a fire during clashes with police in central Kiev, Ukraine, early Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014. As riots spread from Ukraine's embattled capital to nearly half of the country, President Viktor Yanukovych promised Friday to reshuffle his government and make other concessions - but a top opposition leader said nothing short of his resignation would do. Hours after the president's comments, huge fireballs lit up the night sky in central Kiev and plumes of thick black smoke rose from burning tires at giant barricades erected by protesters. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

[another_liberal]

1. Isn't that convenient?

If the protesters don't produce two police officers, then the authorities have the pretext to use force to retake the city hall building. It doesn't matter if the protesters won't release the officers, or that they can't because they don't have them, the end result is the same: police storm the building.

[Demenace]

2. Why is it the instinct increasingly around here to take the side of protesters?

Did you not see the fire bombs flying all these days from the protesters? Why would it be convenient that these protesters have Police officers as a prize of their actions? Did these protesters not take over an entire government Ministry?

We keep cheering violent protests until we wake up to the facts that we having been backing the wrong horses, again!

My point is, people should not be encouraged to get through violent protests what they could not get via the election booths, just saying...

[DavidDvorkin]

3. Because it's very hard to see Yanukovych as the right horse.

[Demenace]

6. Why, because you do not like him?

Is democracy now about those we personally like or the side that participated in elections and winning and we, the so called civilized people, encouraging the losing side to respect the results of elections whether we like the outcome or not?

It is always okay until our preference candidate is getting the same treatment we prescribe for others! When did we become enablers non democratic means to power? How did we get here?

We did the same nonsense during the Egyptian coup and missed an opportunity to stand up for what is right because of our irrational fear of some Muslim group when we could have stood up collectively to say we respect and encourage their participation in our principles of democracy which means taking part in free and fair elections!

No, we cheered on the losing side which staged a coup and look where that has taken Egypt? It is like we never miss an opportunity to show how insincere we have become as a people on the world stage!

[bravenak]

4. The government is not representing the people.

They voted in the government to do one thing the governing officials decided they'd rather be BFF's with Russia than represent the people. This is what happens. Sometimes you voted people in and they do the exact opposite of what they say they would do and then people want to kick their asses.
Violence isn't the only way to handle this, but it somtimes works so I guess they they're going to give it a go, and see if they get what they want.

A lot of us liberals usually take the side of the little guy, the guy who has been disenfranchised or wronged in some way. That's just a part of being a liberal, I guess. Notice that when the Tea party manufactured protests came around we didn't support the protesters.

Sometimes we all feel like getting out our pitchforks and torches, so when we see someone else do it, we can't help being sympathetic towards the little guy. And remember, the police have no problems with assaulting, shooting, killing, beating , murdering civilians, and using excessive force on the public at any time they feel like it so it's hard to be sympathetic towards them.

If we start backing up the cops, next thing you know they might just start pepper spraying babies, kicking grandmothers in the face, and raping teenagers. Hyperbole, I know. Or is it??

[Demenace]

5. Says who, you?

So by your logic, the Republicans and the Tea party would be justified with getting by violence what they could not get by vote rigging and cheating via election laws or do you just support those 'little guys' of your preference. You say the Tea party manufactured protests but cannot bring yourself to say the same of these other protests! How do you know these are not manufactured protests as well?

If this government is not representing the people, why then are we not encouraging the protesters to vote them out during the next election or is that not what this is about?


When did we become enablers of non democratic means to power?

[bravenak]

7. I never said that.

Just an explanation. Don't like it, oh well. Form your own opinion and let me know what you think.

[Demenace]

8. It is now fashionable to make fictional explanations up...

..on why we support things that make no sense! You said the Police beat and murder, has this happened yet in this particular protest or are you asking to think it is so! I stand up for honesty for the little guy and the not so little guy! When those on the side lines of an event fail to react with honesty to such event, they make matter worse for all and that is what my opinion is on the attitude around here.

We are becoming the very thing we decry in others - the inability to speak or call things honestly!

[bravenak]

12. Bullcrap!!!!!!!!

The government doesn't support the people. The people want their country back. They don't want to be dictated to. Why the hell are you supporting a semi dictatorial government??? That's crazy.

[tabasco]

13. Please educate yourself on the Ukranian situation

Your obtuse blabbering and simplification is tiresome.

http://www.kyivpost.com/

[intheflow]

9. The people of Kiev are saying the government doesn't represent them.

Hence, the hundreds of thousands of people forming opposition and resistance to the government. Their political system has been in flux for almost 20 years, going back and forth from a parliamentary system to a semi-presidential one. Their current president is acting dictatorially; he's ignoring the People's will that they join the EU as opposed to ever-identifying with Russia. You're talking about democratic process, the people of Kiev are talking about human rights violations under this government. You think people should just shut up about human rights violations, about corrupt governments, and fix it in the voting booth? There are times when these issues cannot wait until it's time to vote. Indeed, when governments start acting dictatorially, there is no guarantee that opposition voting will be allowed to take place. Wake up.

[dipsydoodle]

14. That's in the west of the Ukraine.

Not in the east of the Ukraine.

[another_liberal]

11. I do not approve of setting people on fire with gasoline, no . . .

However, the current government of Ukraine is brutal and thoroughly corrupt. I have to sympathize with those who wish to see it fall.

Your point about elections is also well-taken. Just remember that Ukraine does not yet have a strong tradition of governmental change through the ballot box alone. Trust in the fairness of elections is fairly weak. The people of Western Ukraine (where protests are taking place) are especially distrustful of their current leaders.

[Jesus Malverde]

10. Lately I'm confused about these mob political movements.

Is this a good mob like the one that brought down Mubarek or a good mob like the one that brought down Morsi?

Is this a "bad mob" like the austerity fighters in Greece or a "good mob" like the jihadist mercenaries in Syria.

Is this mob the Ukrainian tea party?

So many mobs, so little time.