Hundreds of people rallied in central Kiev on Monday to protest against what the Ukrainian opposition says was vote-rigging by President Viktor Yanukovych’s ruling party in the October 28 parliamentary election.
Crowds gathered outside the Central Electoral Commission headquarters in the Ukrainian capital in response to a call for protest by opposition parties, including that of jailed ex-prime minister Yuliya Tymoshenko.
Police told the crowd by loud-speaker that the protest was illegal and might be broken up by force if people did not disperse, a threat ignored by the demonstrators.
“The Party of the Regions is simply stealing the votes of Ukrainians and registering them as the votes of the candidates of the party in power,” said Arseny Yatsenyuk, who heads the united opposition in the absence of Tymoshenko.
“We have gathered here to defend our choice, the choice of Ukraine and Ukrainians. Ukraine has shown that it is capable of beating the Party of the Regions,” he told the crowd.
Tensions focused on the outcome of a handful of constituencies where the vote-count for seats in the 450-seat parliament has not been completed.
Anger erupted at several of nine disputed districts with election officials conducting the vote count besieged by opposition supporters and members of Yanukovych’s Party of the Regions, demanding a re-count or threatening court action. Riot police used tear gas to quell trouble in one district.