By YURAS KARMANAU
Injured protesters look for medical help in ambulance after Ukrainian riot police broke up a rally demanding the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych, at the Independence Square in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013. Police in the Ukrainian capital broke up a large anti-government demonstration in the city center before dawn Saturday, swinging truncheons and injuring many. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov) (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)
Ukraine EU Protest
Ukrainian riot police officers detain an activist during a rally demanding the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych, at the Independence Square in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013. Police in the Ukrainian capital broke up an anti-government demonstration in the city center before dawn Saturday, swinging truncheons and injuring many. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)
Ukraine EU Protest
Injured protesters receive medical help in ambulance after Ukrainian riot police broke up a rally demanding the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych, at the Independence Square in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013. Police in the Ukrainian capital broke up a large anti-government demonstration in the city center before dawn Saturday, swinging truncheons and injuring many. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)
Ukraine EU
Ukrainian riot police officers detain an activist during a rally demanding the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych, at the Independence Square in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013. Police in the Ukrainian capital broke up an anti-government demonstration in the city center before dawn Saturday, swinging truncheons and injuring many. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)
Ukraine EU Protest
Ukrainian girls react after riot police broke up a rally demanding the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych at the Independence Square in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013.(AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)
Ukraine EU Protest
Ukrainian riot police officers detain an activist during a rally demanding the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych, at the Independence Square in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013. Police in the Ukrainian capital broke up an anti-government demonstration in the city center before dawn Saturday, swinging truncheons and injuring many. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)
Ukraine EU Protest
Demonstrators protest during a rally in support of Ukraine’s integration with the European Union in the center of Kiev, Ukraine, Friday, Nov. 29, 2013. Around 10,000 protesters crowded into the center of Ukraine’s capital Friday night to demand President Viktor Yanukovych’s resignation after he shelved a landmark agreement with the European Union in favor of closer ties with Russia. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)
Ukraine EU Protest
Demonstrators take to the streets in support of Ukraine’s integration with the European Union in the center of Kiev, Ukraine, Thursday Nov. 28, 2013. As leaders of the European Union gather for a summit to discuss the bloc’s eastern expansion, both EU and Ukrainian officials said Thursday that the suspension of talks on closer ties could still be revived after the two-day meeting. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)
Ukraine EU
Ukrainian riot police officers block a crowd during an opposition rally in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, on Friday, Nov. 29, 2013. Thousands of demonstrators are gathering in Ukraine’s capital after a deal that could have brought closer ties to the EU was shelved. Protesters are calling for the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych, who ditched the free trade pact with the EU at Friday’s summit in favor of closer ties with Russia. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)
Ukraine EU
Ukrainian riot police officers detain an unidentified man who claimed to be a national parliament lawmaker, during an opposition rally in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, on Friday, Nov. 29, 2013. Thousands of demonstrators are gathering in Ukraine’s capital after a deal that could have brought closer ties to the EU was shelved. Protesters are calling for the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych, who ditched the free trade pact with the EU at Friday’s summit in favor of closer ties with Russia. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Ukraine EU
Ukrainian police officers wear gas masks as they surround the Independence square during an opposition rally in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, on Friday, Nov. 29, 2013. Thousands of demonstrators are gathering in Ukraine’s capital after a deal that could have brought closer ties to the EU was shelved. Protesters are calling for the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych, who ditched the free trade pact with the EU at Friday’s summit in favor of closer ties with Russia. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Ukraine EU Protest
Demonstrators protest during a rally in support of Ukraine’s integration with the European Union in the center of Kiev, Ukraine, Friday, Nov. 29, 2013. Around 10,000 protesters crowded into the center of Ukraine’s capital Friday night to demand President Viktor Yanukovych’s resignation after he shelved a landmark agreement with the European Union in favor of closer ties with Russia. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)
Ukraine EU
Ukrainian riot police officers detain an unidentified man claiming to be a national parliament’s lawmaker during an opposition rally in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, on Friday, Nov. 29, 2013. Thousands of demonstrators are gathering in Ukraine’s capital after a deal that could have brought closer ties to the EU was shelved. Protesters are calling for the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych, who ditched the free trade pact with the EU at Friday’s summit in favor of closer ties with Russia. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Ukraine EU
A giant screen showing European Union flag is seen over the protesters waving national flags during an opposition rally in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, on Friday, Nov. 29, 2013. Thousands of demonstrators are gathering in Ukraine’s capital after a deal that could have brought closer ties to the EU was shelved. Protesters are calling for the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych, who ditched the free trade pact with the EU at Friday’s summit in favor of closer ties with Russia. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Ukraine EU Protest
Demonstrators protest during a rally in support of Ukraine’s integration with the European Union in the center of Kiev, Ukraine, Friday, Nov. 29, 2013. Around 10,000 protesters crowded into the center of Ukraine’s capital Friday night to demand President Viktor Yanukovych’s resignation after he shelved a landmark agreement with the European Union in favor of closer ties with Russia. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)
Ukraine EU
Demonstrators make a symbolic human chain as a symbol of integration with the European Union during a rally in the center of Lviv, Western Ukraine, Friday, Nov. 29, 2013. The European Union extended its geopolitical reach eastward on Friday by sealing association agreements with Georgia and Moldova, but blamed Russia for missing out on a landmark deal with Ukraine. (AP Photo/Roman Baluk)
Ukraine EU Protest
People warm themselves by a fire in a steel drum during a rally in support of Ukraine’s integration with the European Union in the center of Kiev, Ukraine, late Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013. As leaders of the European Union gather for a summit to discuss the bloc’s eastern expansion, both EU and Ukrainian officials said Thursday that the f talks on closer ties could still be revived after the two-day meeting. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)
Ukraine EU Protest
People warm themselves by a fire in a steel drum during a rally in support of Ukraine’s integration with the European Union, in the center of Kiev, Ukraine, late Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013. As leaders of the European Union gather for a summit to discuss the bloc’s eastern expansion, both EU and Ukrainian officials said Thursday that the talks on closer ties could still be revived after the two-day meeting. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)
Ukraine EU Protest
People warm themselves by a fire in a steel drum during a rally in support of Ukraine’s integration with the European Union in the center of Kiev, Ukraine, late Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013. As leaders of the European Union gather for a summit to discuss the bloc’s eastern expansion, both EU and Ukrainian officials said Thursday that the talks on closer ties could still be revived after the two-day meeting. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)
Viktor Yanukovych, Jose Manuel Barroso, Herman van Rompuy
Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych, right, shakes hands with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, left, next to European Council President Herman van Rompuy in Vilnius, Lithuania, Thursday, Nov 28, 2013. Van Rompuy and Barroso met with Yanukovych hours before Thursday’s start of the Vilnius summit in an attempt to cajole him into signing the long-planned association agreement as soon as possible after the two-day meeting. (AP Photo/ Mykhailo Markiv, Pool)
Ukraine EU
CAPTION CORRECTION CHANGES THE DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT The city landmark, the 50-meter-high (164-foot-high) Independence Column is decorated with European Union flag as Ukrainian police officers wearing gas masks guard the square during an opposition rally in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, on Friday, Nov. 29, 2013. Thousands of demonstrators are gathering in Ukraine’s capital after a deal that could have brought closer ties to the EU was shelved. Protesters are calling for the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych, who ditched the free trade pact with the EU at Friday’s summit in favor of closer ties with Russia. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Ukraine EU
Ukrainian riot police officers block a crowd during an opposition rally in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, on Friday, Nov. 29, 2013. Thousands of demonstrators are gathering in Ukraine’s capital after a deal that could have brought closer ties to the EU was shelved. Protesters are calling for the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych, who ditched the free trade pact with the EU at Friday’s summit in favor of closer ties with Russia. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)
Ukraine EU
An unidentified Ukrainian man talks to police officers as they surround the Independence square wearing gas masks during an opposition rally in downtown Kiev, Ukraine, on Friday, Nov. 29, 2013. Thousands of demonstrators are gathering in Ukraine’s capital after a deal that could have brought closer ties to the EU was shelved. Protesters are calling for the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych, who ditched the free trade pact with the EU at Friday’s summit in favor of closer ties with Russia. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)
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KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Police in the Ukrainian capital broke up a large anti-government demonstration in the city center before dawn Saturday, swinging truncheons and injuring many.
The riot police used tear gas when they dispersed the crowd of about 400 protesters who were demanding the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych, demonstrators said. Some at Independence Square were seen bleeding from their heads and arms.
The crowd was the remains of a Friday night rally that attracted some 10,000 people protesting Yanukovych’s decision not to sign a long-anticipated association agreement with the European Union.
It was not clear why police took action when they did. But speakers at the rally had called for another large gathering on Sunday, raising the prospect of a wave of protests extending into a second week.
“It was horrible. We were holding a peaceful demonstration and they attacked us,” said Lada Tromada. “They threw us away like garbage.” Police moved in on the demonstration at about 4:30 a.m., said one of its organizers, Sergei Milnichenko.
There was no immediate information on how many demonstrators were injured or whether there were any arrests.
Protests had been held in Kiev over the past week since Yanukovych backed away from the EU agreement. It was to have been signed Friday at an EU summit in the capital of Lithuania, and the passing of that date sparked an especially large turnout of protesters.
Yanukovych abruptly changed course for integration with the EU last week when his government announced it was suspending preparations for signing the agreement. The move angered many in Ukraine, where nearly half of the population of around 45 million favors closer ties with the EU.
Yanukovych argued that Ukraine can’t afford to sacrifice trade with Russia, which regards Ukraine as historically part of its orbit and has tried to block the deal by banning some of Ukraine’s imports and threatening more trade sanctions. A 2009 dispute between Kiev and Moscow on gas prices resulted in a three-week cutoff of gas to Ukraine.
Saturday’s harsh action was in contrast to the mass protests of the 2004 Orange Revolution, when tens of thousands came to the square nightly for weeks and set up a vast tent camp on the main street leading to the square.
Those protests forced the annulment of a fraud-tainted presidential election in which Yanukovych was shown with the most votes. A rerun of the election was ordered and Yanukovych lost to Western-leaning reformist Viktor Yushchenko.
Yanukovych was elected president five years later, narrowly defeating then-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, the leading figure of the Orange Revolution.
Tymoshenko was sentenced to seven years imprisonment in 2011 for abuse of office, a case that the West widely criticized as political revenge. The EU had set Tymoshenko’s release, or at least her freedom to go to Germany for treatment of a severe back problem, as a key criterion for signing the association pact with Ukraine.
The prospect of freeing his archenemy was deeply unattractive to Yanukovych.
