Feminist group hit policeman with pie
An activist from the attention-seeking Ukrainian feminist group FEMEN hit a senior police officer with a pie to protest alleged kidnappings of its members by state security personnel and possible falsehoods told about the detentions by government officials, local media reported on Tuesday.
Volodymyr Polishchuk, senior spokesman for Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs, was struck in the face and shoulders with a Kiev-style cream-filled cake as he was speaking with a television crew. He was not injured.
The attack took place near the entrance of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the capital Kiev. Assailant Inna Shevchenko shouted "Liar!" at Polishchuk before departing the scene.
FEMEN activists have been attempting to draw attention to their protests by disrobing to the waist in public areas. Shevchenko was wearing a pink dress as she threw the cake at Polishchuk.
Ukrainian police on Friday took three Femen members into custody hours before a Euro 2012 game in the eastern city Donetsk. Polishchuk
and other official spokesmen said the detention was legal because police had received a tip that the women were planning to disrobe and run onto the pitch.
FEMEN statements say the police had received no such tips and had violated the law by detaining the activists without grounds. The group also alleged that the police injured some of the women when detaining them. The women were later released without charges.
"The activist (Shevchenko) with this act obtained revenge for the illegal kidnapping of FEMEN activists, and lies about the purposed 'legality' of their detention by police," a FEMEN statement said.
FEMEN members have spoken out against the Euro 2012 championship currently in progress in Ukraine because of a possible increase in prostitution and sex tourism as a result of the high-profile sports event.
Ukrainian government officials have called FEMEN a marginal protest group that is embarrassing the country as it acts as a co-host for Euro. Poland is the other host nation.Author: Stefan Korshak
