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Copyright of the image
EPA
Photographs show activists rinsing their eyes after being gassed to tear
Right-wing activists in Ukraine have disrupted the march of transgender activists in the capital Kiev.
According to reports, two young women were assaulted and ridiculed while they were receiving medical attention, and a Canadian journalist was punched in the face.
Another journalist said the police had abused the militants without doing anything to stop violent members of the far right. They deny the accusation.
Homophobia is still commonplace in post-Soviet Ukraine, according to analysts.
However, authorities have allowed gay pride marches in the past.
About 30 to 40 people showed up at Sunday's rally, waving rainbow flags and banners saying, "Transphobia must be stopped."
A participating activist said the march was important to demonstrate that LGBT people existed in the country, reports Reuters.
"It is hard to accept that some people are willing to resort to violence simply because other people are slightly different," said the activist, identified only as Elis, in Russian.
Copyright of the image
AFP
Right-wing activists have fired smoke bombs into the crowd, journalists said
Christopher Miller, an American journalist who was on the scene, said the protesters had first encountered difficulties after counter protesters had occupied their planned protest area in Kiev's Shevchenko Park, before following them. at a rearranged point.
The demonstrators from the far right then stopped the demonstration by throwing smoke bombs, before the police began to disperse the group.
Miller shared a video on social media showing that police appeared to be pushing activists into a subway station while homophobic insults were being uttered in Ukrainian.
The reporter said the police had tried to move him away from the group, while he was presenting his press information.
Another journalist, Michael Colborne, was punched in the face and two protesters were then assaulted with a pepper spray as a result of the group's dispersal.
The organizers then said that events had shown that "the level of radical aggression and radical violence of the far right is increasing in Ukraine".
Colborne said the police had opened an investigation into his case.
Canada's Ambassador to Ukraine, Roman Waschuk, urged the government to reaffirm its commitment to protecting the media.
