To mark the 12th anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe, the radical Russian environmental group Rainbow Keepers staged an elaborate street theater production on the steps of the atomic energy ministry on April 23.  A banner hanging from trees opposite the entrance declared "Profit For You, Waste For Us," while on the steps others in gray masks held a banner declaring "Enough of Illusions." The theater production highlighted problems associated with nuclear waste.  Ministry officials declared the steps off limits and tried to break up the performance while awaiting arrival of police.  When police arrived half an hour later, they arrested 14 people, packing eight of them into a small van.

As a protest, some in the van started to rock it from the inside, and the police responded by spraying tear gas inside and shutting the windows.  Seeking to get some fresh air, the victims broke the windscreen, while supporters demanded police stop the torture.  It was not stopped but postponed. After arriving at the police station they were tear-gassed once more, before being released that evening.

In Kiev on May 9, 5 anti-nuclear protesters were arrested during an action in front of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's (EBRD) annual general meeting. While the bank was discussing Ukraine's demand for a loan to both decommission Chernobyl and complete two new nuclear power plants in Ukraine, protesters were insisting that EBRD not issue a loan for new reactors but give money to shut Chernobyl down as soon as possible.  All the protesters were sentenced to prison for several days and then released without additional charges.

(Thanks to ECODEFENSE!inform and Rainbow Keepers for this report.)

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last updated July 10 1998