Journalists get caught up in Kyiv violence
- 10 years ago
The violence in Kyiv on Sunday left scores injured – many of them members of the press.
One source says 29 journalists mainly cameramen and photographers needed medical treatment. At least 12 of them claimed to have been beaten by police.
One of them was Anatoliy Stepanov who suffered head injuries and a broken finger:
“A crowd of riot police ran over and started to beat me – with their clubs and boots – all I could do was to cover my head with my hands. After they were gone some other policemen came up to me and dragged me off to a first aid centre – some of them were hurt as well, one was lying on the floor, “ he said.
Euronews camera man Roman Kupriyanov, was filming when he was attacked. He has been left with concussion and chest injuries.
“The first time they made me lie down. As I was able to keep on filming three of them started to kick me and hit me with clubs, They knew what they were doing. Some guy was trying to intervene, but he was kicked even harder than I was,” said Kupriyanov showing his injured hands.
“The guy who tried to save me was shouting, ‘He’s Press – leave him alone!’ But this didn’t have any effect. I had a press card hanging round my neck, but I don’t no why, they just didn’t pay any attention to it.”
Ukraine authorities say over 100 police officers were also hurt in the violence.
One source says 29 journalists mainly cameramen and photographers needed medical treatment. At least 12 of them claimed to have been beaten by police.
One of them was Anatoliy Stepanov who suffered head injuries and a broken finger:
“A crowd of riot police ran over and started to beat me – with their clubs and boots – all I could do was to cover my head with my hands. After they were gone some other policemen came up to me and dragged me off to a first aid centre – some of them were hurt as well, one was lying on the floor, “ he said.
Euronews camera man Roman Kupriyanov, was filming when he was attacked. He has been left with concussion and chest injuries.
“The first time they made me lie down. As I was able to keep on filming three of them started to kick me and hit me with clubs, They knew what they were doing. Some guy was trying to intervene, but he was kicked even harder than I was,” said Kupriyanov showing his injured hands.
“The guy who tried to save me was shouting, ‘He’s Press – leave him alone!’ But this didn’t have any effect. I had a press card hanging round my neck, but I don’t no why, they just didn’t pay any attention to it.”
Ukraine authorities say over 100 police officers were also hurt in the violence.