Riot Police detain protesters against Tymoshenko verdict
UNIAN reports that Berkut Special Force officers are detaining the most active protesters involved in scuffles with police outside the central entrance to the Pechersky District Court in Kyiv where Yulia Tymoshenko, former Prime Minister, presidential candidate and leader of the largest opposition party, has just been sentenced to 7 years imprisonment. Two people have apparently been dragged off to police vans.
Ukrainska Pravda reported earlier that while Judge Kireyev was reading out the verdict, the Berkut officers were out in huge numbers and extremely active. There were hundreds of journalists, deputies and several thousand demonstrators outside the court.
The Head of Police explained the huge police presence as due to reports from the SBU [Security Service] of possible terrorist attacks. Such reports had been circulating for at least a day or two, though there is no evidence that the SBU gave any details.