Zamieszki na Marszu Równości w Kijowie. Policja zatrzymała 25 aktywistów

Już o kilku dni w Kijowie padały ostrzeżenia wobec środowisk homoseksualnych, ze strony części ukraińskich polityków, w tym od lidera Prawego Sektora Dmytro Jarosza, który jasno deklaruje się jako przeciwnik takich mniejszości.

Również mer Kijowa Witalij Kliczko apelował o odwołanie marszu z powodów bezpieczeństwa.

Dzisiaj kiedy demonstracja przechodziła przez centrum Kijowa, na grupę policjantów chroniąca Marsz Równości napadła grupa około 20 osób. Policja starała się odeprzeć ataki aktywistów.

Napastnicy rzucali petardy w stronę uczestników demonstracji oraz w stronę kordonu policji. Funkcjonariusze znaleźli u zatrzymanych śrubokręty, noże i inne niebezpieczne przedmioty. Uczestnicy marszu mówili też, że Prawy Sektor groził im śmiercią.

W wyniku starć ucierpiało pięciu policjantów, stan jednego z nich jest ciężki, oraz jeden z napastników. Policja zatrzymała też kilkudziesięciu podejrzanych - podaje stacja BBC.

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Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko had called on the organisers of the Equality March to cancel the event to "avoid confrontation" in the capital.

Hundreds of police were deployed ahead of the Equality March More than 20 people were reported to have been arrested

Hundreds of police officers were deployed to prevent clashes during Saturday's event.

But unidentified attackers later began throwing smoke bombs.

One of the policemen suffered "a serious neck injury", a Red Cross official at the scene was quoted as saying by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

Kiev police later said the officer was being treated in hospital.

Ukrainian lawmaker and journalist Serhiy Leshchenko wrote on Twitter that 25-30 "radicals" were arrested.

He also praised police for preventing "direct clashes" between gay activists and the radicals.

The rally finished shortly after the scuffles.

The Ukrainian authorities say the rights of sexual minorities are guaranteed and protected in the country.

But critics say homophobia is widespread and generally accepted in the predominantly Orthodox Christian nation.

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