Tymoshenko supporters set up tents in street to protest her arrest

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• published: 30 Jul 2015
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1. Police barricades in front of tents on the street, Tymoshenko supporter writing slogan on police barricade 2. Various of Tymoshenko supporters writing slogans on police barricades next to tents (slogan in large black letters, reads: "Freedom for political prisoners") 3. Various view across road of protest camp set up by Tymoshenko supporters 4. Wide of Khreschatyk Street with Tymoshenko supporters'' camp in the distance 5. Various of police near protest camp 6. Mid of police truck with policemen in the back, truck moves away 7. Mid of banner reading, "Only Yulia Tymoshenko could make Ukraine free of criminal occupation" 8. Wide of entrance to Pechersky court 9. Various of police officer standing behind barricade and next to tents 10. Tymoshenko supporters near court 11. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Svitlana, Tymoshenko supporter from the Kiev region: "I think that the court imprisons not Tymoshenko, but our freedom and democracy. This is the only thing we have left." 12. Wide of camp, police and barricades 13. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Andrei Pavlovski, law-maker, Block of Yulia Tymoshenko (BYT): "Lawmakers and citizens are protesting here against the illegal arrest of Yulia Tymoshenko an inquisition that is in Ukraine now." 14. Wide of protesters on street STORYLINE Supporters of Yulia Tymoshenko were camped out the street in central Kiev on Saturday to protest the arrest of Ukraine''s former prime minister. Acting on a judge''s orders, police arrested Tymoshenko on Friday during her abuse-of-office trial for violations of court procedures. Her supporters in court on Friday, including national lawmakers, squabbled with riot police, trying to prevent them from driving her away in a prison car. Dozens then gathered outside the court building in central Kiev and tried to block the road, but riot police pushed them aside. They remained outside the court on Saturday, demanding her release and calling her arrest "illegal". "I think that the court imprisons not Tymoshenko, but our freedom and democracy. This is the only thing we have left," said one supporter. The 50-year-old top opposition leader is charged with abusing her powers by signing a natural gas import contract with Russia in 2009 that prosecutors claim was disadvantageous to Ukraine. Tymoshenko insists she is innocent, arguing that the contract ended weeks of natural gas disruptions to Ukrainian and European consumers and that she was authorised to sign the deal as prime minister. The charismatic leader, has criticised the trial as an attempt by Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine''s Kremlin-friendly president, to bar her from elections and mocked the court. Tymoshenko has refused to rise when addressing the court, as required, and routinely insulted the judge. Complying with the presiding judge''s orders, police surrounded Tymoshenko and escorted her out of the courtroom on Friday. She was the central figure in Ukraine''s 2004 Orange Revolution mass protests that threw out Yanukovych''s fraud-tainted victory in a presidential election and led to another vote that brought a pro-Western government to power. Tymoshenko became prime minister, but Ukrainians grew frustrated by economic hardships, slow reforms and endless bickering in the Orange camp. As a result, she lost to Yanukovych in the 2010 presidential election. While Yanukovych is generally seen as Moscow-friendly, his government has continued to argue with Russia over gas prices and other economic issues. Tymoshenko''s party said it would mobilise its supporters and call street protests. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/3acbbb99ef328deea5546b13e1bd7513 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork