On May 27, 2010, Ukrainian police prevented the FEMEN women’s movement from staging a topless protest outside the Russian Embassy in Kyiv. The demonstration was intended to show solidarity with Russia’s “Blue Buckets Society,” a group fighting against the unauthorized use of special signals, or “blue lights,” by Russian officials on public roads.

FEMEN activists were detained before the protest could begin, as they were preparing in an alley near the embassy—painting their chests blue to symbolize the “blue buckets.” The police officers used excessive force to arrest the activists, placing them into a police van and transporting them to the Solomyansky District Police Station. Meanwhile, a “Berkut” special forces unit awaited near the embassy.

According to sources within the police, the order to detain the activists reportedly came from the Russian Embassy itself.

“This is an attempt to ‘reformat’ civic movements into something more convenient for those in power,” said Anna Hutsol, leader of the FEMEN movement. “The arrest of our activists is illegal, and we will fight to the end to defend our right to express ourselves in the way we choose.”

Hutsol also emphasized that the “Blue Buckets” are a symbol of the struggle for civil rights and freedoms in Russia. “We are against the unification of Ukraine and Russia under the Kremlin’s influence. We support the development of democratic initiatives and civic activism in our countries,” she added.

Human rights advocate Volodymyr Chemerys, who was present at the scene, confirmed that the arrest was unlawful. He stated that the Kyiv administration had been notified of the protest, and no official ban had been issued. The hooliganism charge against the FEMEN activists does not prohibit topless protests. “The police justified the arrests not based on the law, but on interpretations of the Ukrainian Code of Administrative Offenses, which are not legally binding,” Chemerys explained.

FEMEN plans to challenge the police actions in court in the near future. The movement reminds the public that freedom of expression and civic activism are essential conditions for the development of a free and democratic society.