Several criminal proceedings have been launched on hooliganism, violence against police officers and interference with the judiciary.

Public relations division, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine

January 11, 2014

During yesterday’s sentencing of persons accused of a terrorist act, a group of activists headed by MPs under the banner of "Svoboda" picketed the Kyiv-Sviatoshyn Court.

Some pickets blocked the exits from the courtyard of the Kyiv-Sviatoshyn court as well as streets adjacent to the building to prevent an official car from leaving the courtyard.

When the car of the regiment police convoy with the convicted aboard tried to leave the territory of the court, the protesters began to behave aggressively. Radical activists threw water bottles and stones in the direction of the court’s building and official car blocking traffic. Despite the demands of law enforcement officers to stop public disorder, some activists continued to impede the traffic while trying to provoke a conflict with police officers.

To provide untrammeled way to the car officers of a special police unit "Berkut" sidelined protesters from the official car, creating a corridor for its passage. The jostling began. Meanwhile, unknown persons threw stones towards police officers damaging glass of the regiment police convoy car. As a result of unlawful acts of the activists the facade of the court building was damaged. In addition, during the reading of the verdict the judge was splashed in the face with an unknown substance.

Because of these actions some two dozen officers of "Berkut" received various injuries. One of them was hospitalized with a broken leg.

Currently, criminal proceedings have been launched according to part 3, Art. 296 (Holliganism), part 2, Art. 345 (threats or violence against a law enforcement officer) and part 1, Art. 376 (interference with the judiciary). The sentence for such actions provide for imprisonment of up to 5 years.