Attack with sledgehammers: Tarasivka community withstands seizure attempt

On October 21, 2022, in the village of Tarasivka in the Boryspil district, Kyiv region, there was another attempt to seize the Holy Dormition сhurch of the UOC, report the parishioners of the church.

According to them, people with balaclavas covering their faces tried to enter the shrine, for which they brought employees of a lock-cutting firm. At the same time, they referred to the decision of the "religious community" which had allegedly voted for a transfer from the UOC to the OCU.

Since the encroachment on the temple has been continuing since the summer, the faithful of the canonical Church were forced to organize a round-the-clock watch to prevent the raiders from entering the temple. And this time, community members, who are mostly women, met the uninvited guests and called the police to stop the lawlessness.

According to the witnesses, among the visitors were representatives of the local authorities, who, without covering their faces, allowed themselves to use male force and pushed the women parishioners off the porch.

With the help of the law enforcers, the lawlessness was stopped and when the police arrived the "visitors" with sledgehammers quickly left the parish.

The video from the scene was posted on her Facebook page by the head of the All-Ukrainian organization "Women's Power of Ukraine", lawyer Viktoria Kokhanovska.

"On a peaceful part of the territory of Ukraine – in balaclavas, with radios and armed, in military uniform – with fists on women! And with sledgehammers into the temple of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church... One woman bursts into tears, calling her husband on the phone, and another to her son, who is fighting for the integrity of the state and is a parishioner of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. At this time, the military with patches, and flags of Ukraine came to beat and abuse their wives," Viktoria Kokhanovska wrote.

As reported, on 21 August 2022, more than 300 believers of Tarasivka came to the worship to offer prayers while people far from the Church decided the fate of the Dormition сhurch at an illegal meeting.

On October 19, 2022, activists from schismatic structures, accompanied by representatives of the local authorities, had already attempted to cut the locks and seize the Dormition сhurch, but the community of the temple did not let this happen.

As reported, the rector of the Intercession сhurch in Trebukhiv said that the parishioners had made their choice and remained in the fold of the UOC.

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