At least 4 injured, 100 detained in central Kiev scuffles (PHOTO, VIDEO)

Clashes between police and protesters in central Kiev have left several people injured and scores detained. The demonstrators burned tires as police searched their camp, where grenades and smoke shells were found.

Four policemen were injured as unrest erupted early Saturday near the Ukrainian parliament building in central Kiev, national police said. Some 100 people were also detained during the scuffles.

Up to 10 people may have been injured in the clashes, according to local media, citing police chief Andrey Krischenko.

The demonstrators started burning tires as the police arrived at the camp. During the operation, the officers seized hand grenades, smoke shells and found Molotov cocktails.

The officers were deployed to the tent camp, near the parliament, to carry out searches in connection with previous confrontations in Kiev. The past unrest also saw policemen sustaining injuries, according to national police.

Despite the eviction not initially being planned, local media reported that police removed the tents and took the protesters’ belongings. 

The Maidan-style tent camp was set up in central Kiev in October 2017, and unrest has erupted since then. One of the latest confrontations occurred in late February, when 14 officers were injured in a mass brawl that broke out after protesters armed with wooden clubs, stones and Molotov cocktails tried to break into the Ukrainian parliament.