Recently, people have been offering free classes in English and self-defence in the Maidan for all those who aspire to a glorious European future. The classes take place every day at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the Trade Unions building. There are only thirty people in the English class. That’s not many. If we want to join Europe any time soon, we need to put more effort into learning foreign languages. I wonder how many people are going to the self-defence classes, and what they are learning.
The Trade Unions building already hosts the activities of the Maidan Open University, with speeches on public administration, the history of non-violent protest movements, Russia, and the state of public education in Ukraine. Activists have already seen Mikhail Ilyenko’s film, The Man Who Walked Through Fire. Shame they don’t display the programme of films on the door of the city hall. Even on the Internet, I have not seen the next showings announced yet.
Strange developments in the Tatyana Chornovol case. The police say they have reason to believe that the opposition itself organised the attack on the journalist, so they could then talk about the threat to press freedom! Klichko’s brothers and other people are already being accused. And yet, among the suspects arrested so far, none of them have links to the opposition. Quite the contrary, in fact.
Road Control seems to have changed into the Maidan’s mechanical cavalry, going under the name ‘Automaidan’. Apparently almost every town in Ukraine has its own army of motorists, ready to participate in four-wheeled protests against the powers that be. Not bad! Even if, every night, all over the country, unknown people continue to set fire to vehicles belonging to the participants in these protests. Two nights ago, in my beloved Reitarskaya Street, a car was burned in front of the house next door.