March 8: Several participants in the march for women’s rights in Kiev complained of attacks during and after the action. Women wrote about this in the Facebook group dedicated to the march “Enough of Enduring,” against gender inequality, as well as on their social media pages.
Ekaterina Litvinova said that they were attacked by six people near McDonalds on Maidan Square, who sprayed gas into marchers’ eyes.
Elmira Musayeva published a photo with green on her face. She said that it was poured on her by the “natsiki” because of her participation in the march.
The organizer of the action, Elena Shevchenko, told Gromadsky that at least five women were injured as a result of an attack at the end of the march. One of the cases occurred near Bessarabskaya Square, where two people “beat” and poured green liquid on march participants, and on Khreshchatyk a banner carried by one participant was attacked.
Also, the march organizer reported that the police made an administrative charge against her because of a banner depicting a naked woman and a trident [symbol of the Ukrainian nationalist-fascist movement].
“They say it’s a mockery of state symbols,” Shevchenko said.
On Facebook, a video was posted which shows how the marchers were ordered to take down one of the banners, and it was seized. The police officer called the banner a “provocation” and demanded it be rolled up and removed.
Earlier on March 8 it was reported that participants in the march for women’s rights in Uzhgorod were doused with red paint.
Participants of the “Enough of Enduring” March for Women’s Rights, in particular, advocated ratification of the Istanbul Convention on Combating Domestic Violence and Violence Against Women.
Translated by Greg Butterfield
Further reading:
“8th of March Violence: The Story of a Banner,” a first-hand account by marcher Aliona Liasheva.
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