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Ukraine MPs help 70 Inter TV channel employees out of center blocked in Kiev

The building is blocked by radically-minded activists from the Donbass, Aidar and St. Mary’s battalions

KIEV, September 5. /TASS/. Due to interference of Ukrainian parliamentarians, employees of Inter TV channel have managed to leave the center’s building in Kiev blocked by radical activists who accuse them of pro-Russian views.

The building is blocked by radically-minded activists from the Donbass, Aidar and St. Mary’s battalions.

"About 70 employees of the blocked Inter TV channel left the territory of the TV center at 19:30 with the help of people’s deputies. Police have unblocked the exit to let the people out," says an official statement of the TV channel.

"People blocking the TV channel were shouting abuse and threatened" the people as they were leaving, it said.

On Sunday, September 4, about 20 unidentified persons in camouflage uniforms pitched tents near one of the Inter buildings in Kiev. They were chanting slogans, accusing the TV employees of pro-Russian views. The protesters started burning tires at the main entrance to the building.

Later, they broke into the building, where set the TV studio on fire. Police first arrested eight suspects of arson, but then they were set free with administrative protocols issued.

At the moment, several dozen protesters, blocking the entrance to the building, have declared their action indefinite. They have brought to the building car tires and have been heard speaking about plans to set Intera’s central building on fire.

Kiev police chief Andrei Krishchenko, for his part, said the action of radical activists at the TV center was legal, as its participants had timely applied for a picket. He said that TV channel employees had allegedly themselves made a fence around the central office of Inter, while protesters had only pitched several camps for a picket.