Four hurt in clashes between activists, police in Kiev
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E-mail Xinhua, October 18, 2017
KIEV, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- At least four people were hurt in clashes between anti-corruption demonstrators and the police in central Kiev on Tuesday, authorities said.
Artem Shevchenko, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, told local media that a police officer was hospitalized with a head injury, while three activists suffered minor injuries.
The clashes erupted when the activists tried to set up tents outside the parliament building and their actions met resistance from the police.
The demonstration was organized by several oppositional political movements, which demanded the parliament adopt a string of anti-corruption bills.
In particular, the demonstrators called on the lawmakers to lift parliamentarians' immunity, amend electoral legislation and establish an anti-corruption court.
Besides, some activists have demanded a resignation of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko or early parliamentary election over the alleged inability of the authorities to root out corruption.
Despite the scuffles, several dozens of demonstrators have managed to erect their tents and vowed to stay near the parliament building until their demands are met.
An estimated 4,000 activists took part in the demonstration, which was guarded by 3,500 police officers.
The protest was organized by the political party Movement of New Forces of former Georgian President and ex-governor of Ukraine's Odessa region, Mikheil Saakashvili, the Fatherland Party led by former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and other oppositional forces.
Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian president submitted to the parliament a bill on constitutional amendments, which envisages lifting lawmakers' legal immunity from prosecution. Enditem
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