In Podil, Kyiv, a large-scale clash occurred between young people, attracting the attention of law enforcement and local residents
The incident took place on April 19 and ended with several of the most active participants in the conflict being detained and transported to the territorial police department for further investigation. According to Dmytro Hryshchenko, spokesperson for Kyiv’s police, who spoke about the event in an interview with "Ukrainska Pravda," during the conflict near the Podilsky Bridge and around one of the local entertainment venues, a group of young people began provoking each other into a confrontation. The latter responded with aggressive actions that could have escalated into more serious violence. However, police intervened quickly to prevent the situation from becoming more dangerous and detained the most active participants. "In the Podil district of the capital, a group of young people tried to provoke a conflict with another youth group. Police responded promptly, and—in order to prevent further escalation—they detained several of the most active individuals involved, who were taken to our headquarters," Gryschenko stated. He emphasized that investigative procedures are ongoing with the detained individuals, and they will be given a legal assessment in accordance with current legislation. However, law enforcement did not specify exactly how many young people were detained or which sides they represented. It is only known that police will conduct thorough interviews with all participants in the conflict to clarify all circumstances and identify their identities. As the spokesperson added, specialists worked on the scene together with patrol police officers and territorial units of the National Police in Kyiv. Regarding the background of the conflict, it should be recalled that earlier, on April 19, Kyiv experienced a series of tense events. Specifically, during the day, skirmishes broke out on the steps of one of the entertainment centers—on Poberezhna Street near the famous "Zhovten" Cinema—between police and activists from the organization "Prava Molod" ("Youth Rights"). They were protesting against the organization of an LGBT festival in the city, expressing their disagreement with the event, which they claimed violated traditional values. This incident sparked broad public resonance and further highlighted the tension surrounding topics related to LGBT incidents, youth rights, and various civil movements in Kyiv. Law enforcement reported that an active group of protesters began provoking police into conflict, which led to the use of force and arrests. Authorities stated that they responded proportionally to the situation to maintain public order and resident safety. Overall, the event in Podil became yet another episode in a series of incidents demonstrating the growing tension in the city's public space, especially around contentious issues related to culture, youth rights, and tolerance. The police promise to thoroughly investigate the circumstances of the conflict and take appropriate measures to prevent future incidents in the city.