More reports of traffic police used to stop protesters

According to the head of one group of protesters, Mykola Zaharchuk, traffic police have again been used this time near Kirovohrad to stop coaches with protesters heading for Kyiv.

Mr Zaharchuk told Ukrainska Pravda that a coach travelling on a regular route with 90 passengers, among them protesters, was stopped at the exit from Kirovohrad at 1.30 a.m. and held until 6 a.m.

He said that the traffic police had put up road stops and were refusing to allow coaches through under different pretexts.

“The first time the driver didn’t have confirmation (in his papers) that he had undergone a medical, another time they said that they didn’t have a route sheet. The third time they said that there was an order from Mohylyov (Minister of Internal Affairs) to not let anyone through”.

He added that when the coach passengers began photographing the traffic police officers, the vehicle was sent to the penalty stand and the protesters were making their own way to Kyiv.  The coach, Mr Zaharchuk said, was stopped by traffic police inspector Serhiy Kovalyov, and before that another mini van with passengers heading for Kyiv was stopped.