Rich Myers: Ukrainians cannot wear their own flag outside of protected areas without fear
People hand these ribbons out at Maidan – most affix them to their jackets and wear them proudly. After all, yellow and blue are the colors of the Ukrainian flag!
(Photo: Rich Myers)
To understand how truly unfortunate the situation is over here, consider that wearing yellow and blue in any configuration – not just a ribbon from Maidan, but a little tie on your collar, a bracelet, or Ukrainian flags stuck to your car – outside of the protected circle around Independence Square – can get you hurt. Roaming squads of men paid by the government look for the colors. This is not a separatist symbol, or an inflammatory message – it is the Ukrainian flag. Ukrainians cannot wear their own flag outside of protected areas without fear.
that’s true.. my young daughter was attack in bus by old women (with a lot of dirty words), and in school we had conflict because of blue-yellow ribbons.
I notice then when i use this ribbons outside of maidan some people and police had indulgent sight like i did something very wrong