Clash during student protest

On 28 February around 300 students took part in a demonstration outside one of the parliamentary committees demanding the rejection of the new version of the Law on Higher Education.

A confrontation took place between two groups of students.

The trade union Direct Action, the Regional Initiatives Foundation and the civic association Vidsich organized a march from Arsenalna metro station to the building where the committee rooms are located. They decided to ban any party symbols and accuse another group of students protesting of organizing the scuffle.

“Direct Action” alleges that 40 supporters of right-wing parties – VO Svoboda, the Social-Nationalist Assembly, as well as Neo-Nazi skinheads, began chanting obscene anti-Semitic slogans. They said that they were taking part because of their hatred for the Minister of Education, Tabachnyk and all Jewish people, Direct Action’s Press Service stated.   It asserts that the Neo-Nazis tried to take over the rally, and notes that those who attacked especially hate members of Direct Action, many of whom have left-wing and anti-fascist views.  VO Svoboda denies this, claiming that the trouble was caused by “anti-Ukrainian provocateurs” who fell on the Ukrainian students because they were carrying yellow and blue flags.

As reported here already, the draft law on Higher Education has aroused strong protest and not only from students. The latter are angry since the draft law would raise payment for studies according to contract and does not envisage the guarantee of being able to study on a State-funded basis for students studying externally or in the evening.

From information at Korrespondent.net