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Ukraine Protests: Demonstrators Topple Statue Of Lenin During Anti-Government March In Kiev (VIDEO)

WATCH: Ukraine Protestors Topple Lenin Statue
Huffington Post UK
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Ukrainian protestors have toppled a statue of Lenin and smashed it with hammers as hundreds of thousands of people march against the government.

Demonstrators are demanding the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych after the refused to sign a trade agreement with he EU in favour of closer ties with Russia.

People in the crowds gathered in Independence Square chanted: "Ukraine is Europe", reports the Guardian.

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The remains of the Lenin statue

Others took it in turns to smash the statue of Lenin - a potent symbol of Russia - with a sledgehammer.

The daughter of jailed former Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, read out a message from her to the crowds, reports the BBC.

She said: "We are on a razor's edge between a final plunge into cruel dictatorship and a return home to the European community.

"Don't give in, not a step back, don't give up, the future of Ukraine is in your hands."

Story continues after slideshow...

Ukraine Protests
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An anti-government protester beats the head of the statue of Vladimir Lenin with a sledgehammer in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Anti-government protesters have toppled the statue of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin in central Kiev amid huge protests gripping Ukraine. A group of protesters dragged down and decapitated the landmark statue Sunday evening after hundreds of thousands of others took to the streets to denounce the government's move away from Europe and toward Moscow. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) (credit:AP)
(02 of21)
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The head of a statue of Vladimir Lenin lies on the ground in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Anti-government protesters have toppled the statue of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin in central Kiev amid huge protests gripping Ukraine. A group of protesters dragged down and decapitated the landmark statue Sunday evening after hundreds of thousands of others took to the streets to denounce the government's move away from Europe and toward Moscow. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) (credit:AP)
(03 of21)
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Ukrainian protesters put up Ukrainian flags in place of the ruined monument to Vladimir Lenin in central Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Anti-government protesters have toppled the statue of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin in central Kiev amid huge protests gripping Ukraine. A group of protesters dragged down and decapitated the landmark statue Sunday evening after hundreds of thousands of others took to the streets to denounce the government's move away from Europe and toward Moscow. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (credit:AP)
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An anti-government protester smashes the statue of Vladimir Lenin with a sledgehammer in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Anti-government protesters have toppled the state of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin in central Kiev amid huge protests gripping Ukraine. The chaotic protest further raised tensions in the Ukrainian capital. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) (credit:AP)
(05 of21)
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FILE - In this Sunday Dec. 1, 2013 file photo, police guard the monument of Vladimir Lenin in Kiev, Ukraine. Anti-government protesters have toppled the statue of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin in central Kiev amid huge protests gripping Ukraine. A group of protesters dragged down and decapitated the landmark statue Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013 after hundreds of thousands of others took to the streets to denounce the government's move away from Europe and toward Moscow. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File) (credit:AP)
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An anti-government protester smashes the statue of Vladimir Lenin with a sledgehammer in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Anti-government protesters have toppled the state of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin in central Kiev amid huge protests gripping Ukraine. The chaotic protest further raised tensions in the Ukrainian capital. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) (credit:AP)
(07 of21)
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Pro-European Union activists shout slogans during a rally in Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013, with U.S., Russian and EU flags in the background. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians rallied in the center of Kiev on Sunday in the biggest protest since the 2004 pro-democracy Orange Revolution, denouncing President Viktor Yanukovych's decision to turn away from Europe and raising the stakes in a tense political standoff gripping this ex-Soviet republic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) (credit:AP)
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Pro-European Union activists gather during a rally in Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians rallied in the center of Kiev on Sunday in the biggest protest since the 2004 pro-democracy Orange Revolution, denouncing President Viktor Yanukovych's decision to turn away from Europe and raising the stakes in a tense political standoff gripping this ex-Soviet republic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) (credit:AP)
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Pro-European Union activists shout slogans during a rally in Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013 with a U.S. national flag and poster of jailed former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians rallied in the center of Kiev on Sunday in the biggest protest since the 2004 pro-democracy Orange Revolution, denouncing President Viktor Yanukovych's decision to turn away from Europe and raising the stakes in a tense political standoff gripping this ex-Soviet republic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) (credit:AP)
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Pro-European Union activists listen to a speaker during a rally in Independence Square, Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians rallied in the center of Kiev on Sunday in the biggest protest since the 2004 pro-democracy Orange Revolution, denouncing President Viktor Yanukovych's decision to turn away from Europe and raising the stakes in a tense political standoff gripping the ex-Soviet republic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) (credit:AP)
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Pro-European Union activists shout slogans during a rally in Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians rallied in the center of Kiev on Sunday in the biggest protest since 2004's pro-democracy Orange Revolution, denouncing President Viktor Yanukovych's decision to turn away from Europe and raising the stakes in a tense political standoff gripping this ex-Soviet republic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) (credit:AP)
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Ukrainian protesters put up Ukrainian flags in place of the ruined monument to Vladimir Lenin in central Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Anti-government protesters have toppled the statue of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin in central Kiev amid huge protests gripping Ukraine. A group of protesters dragged down and decapitated the landmark statue Sunday evening after hundreds of thousands of others took to the streets to denounce the government's move away from Europe and toward Moscow. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (credit:AP)
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Ukrainians break a monument to Vladimir Lenin in center Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. The third week of protests continue Sunday with an estimated 200,000 Ukrainians occupying central Kiev to denounce President Viktor Yanukovychs decision to turn away from Europe and align this ex-Soviet republic with Russia. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (credit:AP)
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Anti-government protester beat with a sledgehammer the Lenin statue in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Anti-government protesters have toppled the state of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin in central Kiev amid huge protests gripping Ukraine. The chaotic protest further raised tensions in the Ukrainian capital. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov) (credit:AP)
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Pro-European Union activists walk behind barricades next to Ukrainian government buildings in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians rallied in the center of Kiev on Sunday, denouncing President Viktor Yanukovychs decision to turn away from Europe in the biggest rally in years, raising the stakes in a tense political standoff gripping this ex-Soviet republic. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev) (credit:AP)
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Riot police protect government buildings from Pro-European Union activists in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians rallied in the center of Kiev on Sunday, denouncing President Viktor Yanukovychs decision to turn away from Europe in the biggest rally in years, raising the stakes in a tense political standoff gripping this ex-Soviet republic. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev) (credit:AP)
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Riot police protect government buildings from Pro-European Union activists in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians rallied in the center of Kiev on Sunday, denouncing President Viktor Yanukovychs decision to turn away from Europe in the biggest rally in years, raising the stakes in a tense political standoff gripping this ex-Soviet republic. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev) (credit:AP)
Oleh Tyahnybok(18 of21)
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Opposition leader Oleh Tyahnybok greets Pro-European Union activists during a rally in Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Over 200,000 angry Ukrainians occupied a central Kiev square on Sunday, to denounce President Viktor Yanukovychs decision to turn away from Europe and align this ex-Soviet republic with Russia, as massive protests continued for a third week. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev) (credit:AP)
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Pro-European Union activists gather around a huge poster of jailed former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, bottom, during a rally in the Independence Square in KIev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Over 200,000 angry Ukrainians occupied a central Kiev square on Sunday, to denounce President Viktor Yanukovychs decision to turn away from Europe and align this ex-Soviet republic with Russia, as massive protests continued for a third week. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) (credit:AP)
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A rose, the symbol of the revolution lies on barricades being built by Pro-European Union activists next to the Ukrainian Government building in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians rallied in the center of Kiev on Sunday, denouncing President Viktor Yanukovych's decision to turn away from Europe in the biggest rally in years, raising the stakes in a tense political standoff gripping this ex-Soviet republic. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) (credit:AP)
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Riot police protect government buildings from Pro-European Union activists in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians rallied in the center of Kiev on Sunday, denouncing President Viktor Yanukovychs decision to turn away from Europe in the biggest rally in years, raising the stakes in a tense political standoff gripping this ex-Soviet republic. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov) (credit:AP)

Bands entertained the crowds and Other speakers included former world boxing champion Vitali Kitchko, reports the Telegraph.

The protests are into their second week. Last weekend demonstrators stormed the city hall, ramming police lines with a digger.

Security forces responded with force with many journalists targeted and injured.

British travellers to Ukraine have been urged by the Foreign Office to avoid demonstrations which may turn violent.

The Council of Europe's Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland said the situation was of "great concern".

"I call upon all parties in Ukraine to refrain from violence and return to peaceful dialogue," he said in a statement Monday morning. He said help would be offered to "resolve the current difficult situation in line with the country's commitments under the European Convention on Human Rights and the principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law".

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