Chernivtsi police receive over 10 complaints of assault and church seizure

Police and faithful at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Chernivtsi. Photo: Vitalii Oleinyk

Following the events of June 17 at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Chernivtsi, police received more than ten formal complaints. People reported bodily injuries and the seizure of a religious building, according to Ukrinform.

Eyewitnesses state that throughout the day, police did not intervene in the actions of the radical OCU activists – instead, they obstructed parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. When Metropolitan Meletiy arrived at the cathedral, officers deployed tear gas against the gathered faithful. The hierarch himself was injured: tear gas was sprayed into his eyes, he temporarily lost orientation, and had to be assisted.

Despite the numerous violations, police did not detain a single aggressor. Instead, official reports merely state that “more than 10 citizen complaints have been registered,” while in reality, acts of outright violence occurred in the presence of law enforcement.

UOC faithful emphasize that the police first stood by idly, and later openly sided with the OCU attackers. Parishioners had to defend their sacred site themselves, forcing their way through the gates and regaining control of the cathedral.

All complaints have been officially recorded, and the police have pledged to “provide a legal assessment” of the events. However, the faithful are demanding not just formal replies, but real action: the opening of criminal cases against the attackers, a thorough investigation into the police response, and accountability for those who enabled the violent seizure.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that OCU militants entered the Chernivtsi cathedral pretending to be disabled persons.

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