Orange Revolution, next blog the end game

I was in the tent city and Kiev city centre in freezing conditions all night waiting to see if special forces would arrive to break up the massive demonstration of people power.A photo journalist friend escorted me as I talked with the tent city demonstrators, surprisingly many of them understood English. There was a young lawyer with her brother and a friend in one tent, wrapped up well against the bitter cold.She said they were worried about the possibility of special forces arriving but were resolute in their determination that elections must be corruption free. Young and old alike had come in the thousands filling Kreshatik Street the main square and surrounding areas. At regular intervals the chant "Yushchenko, Yushchenko,Yushchenko, began the noise increasing as more voices joined in. My friend's girlfriend arrived from another part of Ukraine, she and some others had been detained by security forces on their way to Kiev and held for a few hours while being questioned why were they going to Kiev. I understood her concern as I had been to Dnipropetrovski a large industrial city 500 Km. East of Kiev during the previous 48 hours.I went with a group of friends and they were worried in case our vehicle would be stopped and they would be detained for questionong. Coming from the West I was not used to travelling with this type of potential threat present at the many police roadside control posts. Fortunately we made it through without being stopped.
On arrival at the city we were able to get accomodation in an apartment,when the old person who lived there,moved in with a nearby relative and allowed us to use the apartment. Next day we went round various polling stations, one polling station with loud music playing through speakers outside had women running a temporary tea room inside with tea,coffee, soft drinks, and food. I think this idea could work in UK!
I was allowed to film voters in the polling station,and also later in another larger polling station I filmed the ballot boxes being opened and votes being counted.

Orange Revolution. part one. more on my next blog

I was in Ukraine in 2004 during the demonstrations against fraudulent elections. I watched as hundreds of thousands of ordinary citizens blocked central Kiev. There were families with their children, old people, students, lawyers, homeless people, farm workers, many had travelled to Kiev from other towns and villages. Tent City which started in Kiev's main Street was expanding by the hour, as more and more protesters arrived. During the night I had to admire the Tent City residents enduring freezing temperatures, in their determination to change the Political landscape in Ukraine. In
the Mydan ( Kiev's main Square ) a huge screen loomed above the crowds. The live show taking place on the stage below,with singers and political figures was also on screen.
The enthusiasm of the crowds listening to the singers,and political speakers was amazing, but when Viktor Yushchenko appeared on stage to speak to his supporters the crowds went wild, cheering and chanting his name. A strong rumour was circulating that at railway sidings east of Kiev a train full of Russian troops had arrived ready to be sent to disperse the crowds.Was this true,if so on whose orders. People became apprehensive,what to do.