The Tent CityThe observation platform of the Globus shopping mall

The authorities were afraid of an indefinite protest. Each time the protesters tried to set up tents, riot police attacks and demolitions would come almost instantly. The activists decided to protest in the open air.

During the first stage of the protests, the camp of protesters – mostly students and youths – was set near metal barrels with fire and an improvised “stage”, the elevated platform of the Independence Monument.

Tens of thousands of people came to the daytime and evening rallies on Maidan. However, during the night, when only a few hundred people stayed, the protest was very  vulnerable. On the night of November 29-30, 2013, no more than 200 people, mostly students, stayed overnight near the Independence Monument. Around 4 a.m., the Berkut special riot police unit brutally attacked and dispersed the protesters. Security forces fenced off the empty square around the monument from passersby and stationed personnel around the perimeter. It was a turning point in the protests.

The massive rally on December 1, which brought together about a million people demanding punishment for those responsible for beating and dispersing the peaceful protesters, forced the security forces to flee Independence Square. A protest Tent City was set up the same day.

The self-organized protest Tent City became a kind of city within a city. With its system of governance, active cultural life, and mutual support among all, it was a model of the ideal society and solidarity for which the Maidan activists fought. The Maidan was like an anthill, where everyone found an important work for themselves, and became not just a participant but a co-creator: someone cooked food, someone kept order or joined the Maidan Medical Service, someone brought firewood, others planned and implemented educational projects and leisure activities… Entrepreneurs provided resources, and millions of Ukrainians in all regions financially supported the Maidan’s activities.

One of the mandatory rules of the Tent City was a ban on alcohol. The Self-Defense units watched people coming to the Maidan and didn’t allow anybody intoxicated to enter the protest space. Those behaving provocatively or inappropriately were also not welcome. During the peaceful protest, musicians would perform on the Maidan stage, keeping people warm during the frosty nights. The space also became a place for lectures, discussions, historical films viewing, and an “open microphone” platform that allowed everyone to express their opinions. The integrity, mutual support, and self-organization of the Maidan Tent City evoked associations with the ancient traditions of the Zaporozhian Sich for many participants and outside observers. In December 2013, there were around a hundred tents on the Independence Square (Maidan) with nearly 700 barrels with bonfire to keep the protesters warm.