OXLAEYRevolution
In November 2013, after the job at XYZ in The Netherlands, I flew to Kiev, Ukraine where Mary picked me up. I thought I’d stay through the winter and learn some Ukrainian/Russian. I was (still am) hugely interested in exploring all of the countries which once belonged to the former Soviet Union. Speaking a little bit of Russian is the key to getting by.
On the Friday night I arrived in Kiev, I met up with Heath, an American. I’d met him cycling with Mary in 2012. We’d remained in contact. I took the metro to join up with Heath at the center of town, at the “Median” Nezalezhnosti Square.
When I got there, a small group of perhaps 50 people or so were lighting small paper lanterns, setting them off to fly over Kiev’s black night. Heath mentioned it was a small protest, people peacefully complaining about the then Ukrainian president, Yanukovych, who had decided NOT to sign an Association agreement with the EU.
We didn’t know it at the time, but this was the beginning of the Euromaidan “revolution”.
That night, I didn’t think anything particular of the protests. Back in Berlin, I was used to regularly seeing protesters in the streets. Germany is a country of regular protests, complaints and petitions. It’s how the Western European and North American political systems work. Government acts, people respond through elections and political protest. Political protest, as an expression of democracy, was basically non-existant in Ukraine in 2013.
Anyhow, a few days after arriving, I had found a temporary place to live. Two lovely Ukrainian law students, Mariana and Mykhailyna were my hosts. One week after moving in, they let me know that their law faculty was going to march through the streets of Kiev. Their university was pro Europe and they wanted to urge the President to reconsider his decision and sign the Association agreement. They said it was a lost cause, but they were passionate about at least speaking out.
I got out my camera and followed them though the streets. The video above is what I saw.
