Court Bans Mass Events In Downtown Kyiv On November 21-22
Kyiv District Administrative Court has banned mass events on the occasion of the 7th anniversary of the Orange Revolution in downtown Kyiv on November 21-22, Petro Mykhailenko, first deputy board chairman of the All-Ukrainian public organization Coalition of Orange Revolution Participants, told Ukrainian News.
The court made the relevant decision on November 18 supporting Kyiv city state administration’s petition, he noted.
Kyiv city state administration had filed the claim after a joint meeting with Kyiv police authorities and representatives of the public organizations which applied for staging the events on the 7th anniversary of the Orange Revolution, Mykhailenko said.
During the meeting the city officials explained that Maidan Nezalezhnosti on November 22 will be busy with preparations for erecting a New Year tree, the organization’s first deputy board chairman said.
“Kyiv city officials pointed to preparations for setting up a Big New Year Tree in Maidan Nezalezhnosti on November 22 and the safety rules prohibiting big public gatherings to this effect,” he noted.
In turn, police authorities reminded about a visit of President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite on this day, and therefore mass gatherings could prevent security.
Although none said about a complete ban, Kyiv city administration had brought the claim to the court, Mykhailenko emphasized.
Among the organizations applied for the public gatherings on November 22 are the Military Union of Ukraine non-governmental organization chaired by former Verkhovna Rada deputy Oleh Kalashnikov, and which is known for being actively promoted prosecution of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko for the gas contracts with Russia, and other organizations.
The mass actions are prohibited in Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Khreschatyk, Horodetskoho, Instytutska, Hrushevskoho, and Bankova Streets.
The Coalition of Orange Revolution Participants intends to appeal the court decision, Mykhailenko added.
As Ukrainian News earlier reported, Yuschenko established the Liberty Day on November 22, 2005 to maintain freedom, democracy, to foster a sense of national dignity and historical value of the events in autumn 2004 called the Orange Revolution.
A total of 350,000 people including representatives of all Ukrainian regions, took part in the mass actions against rigged presidential elections in Kyiv on November 21 – December 8, 2004.
There were more than 150,000 protesters in Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Kyiv.