The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine published a joint statement of government members regarding unacceptable actions near the President's Office on March 20. It is posted on the official website of the government.
"The Constitution of Ukraine guarantees the right of citizens to peaceful assembly and demonstration. Such a right is one of the pillars of modern representative democracy.
At the same time, members of the Cabinet of Ministers strongly condemn vandalism and desecration of state symbols during protests.
Illegal actions that took place under the President's Office on March 20 are unacceptable and contradict the European values enshrined in the Constitution of Ukraine. The government calls on all citizens to refrain from such actions and to exercise their rights exclusively peacefully.
We expect the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Security Service of Ukraine to conduct an investigation into the events of March 20 and provide them with an appropriate legal assessment," the Cabinet of Ministers said in a statement.
As a reminder, on March 20, an action was held on Bankova Street demanding the release of the convicted Sergei Sternenko, during which the participants of the action painted the facade of the President's Office, covered the walls with paint, broke the windows and tried to set fire to the "Office of the President of Ukraine" sign.
Law enforcement officers detained one of the most aggressive participants for committing illegal actions during the rally. This is a native of the Vinnytsia region, born in 1995, who was previously brought to criminal responsibility for committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosive substances).
As a result of the events during the action, the Metropolitan Police initiated criminal proceedings under Part 4 of Article 296 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Hooliganism). The sanction of this article provides up to seven years of imprisonment.
Damage to the President's Office building during the protest in support of Sternenko is estimated at approximately two million hryvnias.
