Kyivans rallied near Kyiv City Council on Thursday morning, Feb. 21 to protest against the actions of an elite police, Berkut, for abusing its power during a public protest over Hostynny Dvir.
Protesters hold posters depicting Berkut police officials who, they say, gave orders to use force and detain participants at a peacefull rally in Hostynny Dvir on Monday, Feb.18. That day police violently detained over 30 activists and oppositional members of parliament, who gathered in the courtyard of the Hostynny Dvir landmark in order to stop plans to turn it into a shopping and office center.
Activists also called on Oleksandr Popov, head of Kyiv City State Administration, to put a halt to construction the developer has already started at the landmark building on Kontraktova Square in Kyiv. They demanded to punish those who stood behind the suspisious night fire on Feb. 8 which was not stopped over five hours and destroyed part of the roof and the attic floor of the building.
A dispute between urban preservationists and a property developer over Hostynny Dvir has been ongoing since May 26, 2012.
Watch video from Feb. 18 fight here.
