OSCE observers present spot report on riots outside building of Ukrainian parliament
KYIV. Sept 1 (Interfax) - The OSCE special monitoring mission to Ukraine (SMM) was monitoring events in front of the Verkhovna Rada building on August 31, starting from the peaceful protest and continuing to the mass riots.
"On August 31, starting from 09:00, the SMM monitored protests in front of the Verkhovna Rada building in Kyiv. Approximately 3,000 people [men and women of all ages] carrying 'Svoboda', 'Radical Party' and 'Ukrop' flags, were protesting against constitutional amendments that were being voted on inside the Parliament. The event was initially peaceful and orderly with no signs of unrest," the SMM said in a report on the events outside the Ukrainian parliament building.
The report says that during both the morning and the afternoon of August 31, "the building was heavily secured by a ring of riot police [approximately 1,000] and also by national guards [approximately, 1,000] with anti-riot equipment."
"Former members of parliament [Verkhovna Rada] and existing leaders of 'Svoboda' and the 'Radical Party' were visible in the crowd of protesters," the SMM observers stated.
At approximately 13:00, the protesters became agitated as they heard the news that the constitutional amendments had been passed. "They started to burn tires and wood in front of the main entrance and confronted the servicemen [physically with clubs and verbally] that were cordoning the building with full anti-riot gear. The servicemen held their lines against the surging protestors using their batons and shields. At least 50 front row protestors were involved in the clashes with the servicemen. Some were armed with chains and some including women with batons," the SMM report says.
The observers also saw about 20 protesters [men and women] with their faces covered, some of them wearing balaclavas. 150 protestors were dressed in camouflage, among them individuals with 'Legion of Svoboda', 'Donbas', 'Right Sector', 'Tornado' and 'Sich' patches.
"The SMM observed tear gas canisters and smoke bombs being thrown by both servicemen and back row protestors, causing small explosions. Behind the servicemen cordon, journalists were filming the protests," the report says.
At 13:45 the SMM heard a very loud explosion, thought to have been a grenade explosion.
After the explosion, the SMM saw injured riot policemen bleeding heavily and several protesters with less serious injuries. The SMM saw ambulances that arrived at the scene behind the cordon and at least eight servicemen being carried towards the ambulances.
"The scene was chaotic," the OSCE SMM stated.
