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Some 30 federalization supporters released in Ukraine’s Odessa after mass rally

The press service of the Odessa police department said that the protesters had broken the entrance gate and got into the courtyard

KIEV, May 04 /ITAR-TASS/. About 30 federalization supporters have been released in the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odessa as more than 1,000 people blocked the building of the Odessa police department.

The press service of the Odessa police department said that the protesters had broken the entrance gate and got into the courtyard. “Police have released about 30 people,” the press service said.

Earlier on Sunday, people came to the building of the Odessa police department from the Trade Union House that was burnt on May 2 by Right Sector radicals. Protesters were chanting slogans “Odessa residents will never forgive,” “Russia,” “Down with the Kiev Junta,” “Right Sector are executioners.” People demanded the release of the people detained on May 2 and the resignation of Odessa governor Vladimir Nemirovsky, whom they called “murderer” and accused of human deaths at the Trade Union House.

The Odessa police detained 160 “most active participants in mass riots” and opened criminal proceedings on charges of “mass disorders” and “threats and violence against law enforces,” the press service of the Ukrainian interior ministry said on Saturday.

Unrests erupted on Friday, May 2, with a mass fight started by football fans from Kharkov, Right Sector radicals and members of the so-called “Maidan self-defence” force from Kiev, who had decided to march along the streets of Odessa, thus provoking clashes with the supporters of Ukraine’s federalization. Radicals set fire to the building of the Odessa region Trade Union House and a tent camp where federalization supporters collected signatures in favour of holding a referendum on the federalization of Ukraine and granting the official state language status to the Russian language. As a result, 46 people were killed and over 200 had requested medical attention.