Police and protestors injured as Kiev gay march meets with dissent

Opponents of a gay rights march held in Ukraine’s capital have thrown smoke bombs and tear gas and the Interfax news agency cites police as saying five officers were injured in the Kiev clash. Other reports said four of the estimated 300 marchers also were injured. Helmeted riot police formed a cordon to keep marchers and opponents at a distance from each other. The opponents threw smoke bombs and some tried to break through the cordon.

This march shows that we exist. We are fighting for equal rights that, unlike others in Ukraine, we currently lack.

‘Vira’, a 31-year-old activist who declined to give her real name for fear of repercussions

The scuffles broke out when the police tried to keep a few dozen young men who had jumped out of a bus bearing Right Sektor insignia from attacking the peaceful marchers. Ambulance workers said one police woman suffer a neck injury. The Kiev police department said five other officers and one far right group member were also slightly hurt. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on the eve of the protest that he fully supported the marchers but would refrain from attending the event.

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