FINLAND: Petition Forces Parliament To Reconsider Same-Sex Marriage Vote

Finland's same-sex marriage law, which began as an online petition, is due to come into effect in 2017. But a new petition may undo everything.

A petition in Finland has gathered enough signatures to force parliament to debate reversing the gender-neutral marriage law it passed in November last year. The petition, started by the Association for Real Marriage, reached the required 50,000 signatures at 6pm on Sunday (19 July), Finland’s national broadcaster Yle reported. Under the terms of the citizens’ initiative scheme, the petition still had 2 and a half months to collect signatures. It will now be passed to Finland’s Population Register Center to verify that they are genuine.

RELATED: The European Union currently has 28 members. Same-sex marriage is legal in twelve of them: Belgium, Denmark, Finland (effective 2017), France, Ireland (effective later this year) Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia (effective date pending), Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland.)  Civil unions are legal in seven EU nations: Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia (effective 2016), Germany, Hungary, and Malta. No partnership recognitions exist in nine EU nations: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. Non-EU member Norway legalized same-sex marriage in 2009.

GREECE: Voters Reject Bailout

Via the New York Times:

Greeks delivered a shocking rebuff to Europe’s leaders on Sunday, decisively rejecting a deal offered by the country’s creditors in a historic vote that could redefine Greece’s place in Europe and shake the Continent’s financial stability. As people gathered to celebrate in Syntagma Square in central Athens, the Interior Ministry reported that with more than 90 percent of the vote tallied, 61 percent of the voters had said no to a deal that would have imposed greater austerity measures. The no votes carried virtually every district in the country, handing a sweeping victory to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, a leftist who came to power in January vowing to reject new austerity measures, which he called an injustice and economically self-defeating. Last month he walked away from negotiations in frustration at the creditors’ demands, called the referendum and urged Greeks to vote no as a way to give him more bargaining power.

From the BBC:

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said he was consulting the leaders of eurozone member states, and would have a conference call with key EU officials and the ECB on Monday morning. French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are scheduled to meet in Paris on Monday. A summit of eurozone heads of state has been called for Tuesday. The European Commission - one of the "troika" of creditors along with the IMF and the ECB - wanted Athens to raise taxes and slash welfare spending to meet its debt obligations. Greece's Syriza-led government, which was elected in January on an anti-austerity platform, said creditors had presented it with an "ultimatum", using fear to put pressure on Greeks. The Greek government's opponents and some Greek voters had complained that the question in Sunday's referendum was unclear. EU officials said it applied to the terms of an offer that was no longer on the table.

Via Reuters:

Shares fell, the euro stumbled and yields on weaker euro zone economies' bonds rose after Greece overwhelmingly voted against conditions for a rescue package, but there was no rout and contagion was limited. Investors sought low-risk assets including Bunds, but the yield premium of Italian 10-year debt over Germany remained below the eight-month highs it hit a week ago. The euro lost half a percent to $1.1053 and 0.6 percent against the safe-haven Japanese yen. It fell as low as $1.0967 in Asia before rebounding, garnering some support from the resignation of Greece's outspoken finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis. Analysts attributed the relatively muted market reaction to expectations the European Central Bank would act to limit any damage. The ECB's governing council was holding a conference call on Monday to decide how long to keep Greek banks afloat.

Poland Again Rejects Civil Unions

By a vote of 215-146, Polish lawmakers have rejected placing a civil unions bill on the agenda for the coming legislative session.  Nearly 100 legislators reportedly abstained or refused to vote. This is the fourth consecutive year that such an action was rejected. The 2013 attempt to pass a civil partnerships bill failed to advance by 17 votes. The head of the Campaign Against Homophobia today said, "We are lied to by politicians – mostly conservative – who say that Poland is not ready for civil partnerships, let alone same-sex marriage."

RELATED: The European Union currently has 28 members. Same-sex marriage is legal in twelve of them: Belgium, Denmark, Finland (effective 2017), France, Ireland (effective later this year) Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia (effective date pending), Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland.)  Civil unions are legal in seven EU nations: Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia (effective 2016), Germany, Hungary, and Malta. No partnership recognitions exist in nine EU nations: Bulgaria, Cyprus*, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.  (*A civil unions bill advanced in Cyprus early this month.)

BRITAIN: Queen Announces Referendum On UK Leaving The European Union

Via the Guardian:

Tax freezes, the devolution of power and an EU referendum were all on the agenda as the Queen’s Speech marked the first day of the new parliamentary year. The speech was the Queen’s 64th and the first all Conservative Speech she has given in parliament since 1996, following the party’s majority election victory at the beginning of the month. In the speech written and given to her by Conservative ministers, the Queen outlined the government’s plans in an 9-minute speech. The Queen’s big announcements included the news that there would be a referendum on Britain’s membership to the European Union in 2017, and the government’s “tax lock commitment” that would see a freezing of income tax, value added tax and national insurance for the next five years.

Frothy Mix Blames EU For Gay Marriage

"The European Union doesn't have the word God in its Constitution or in any of its documents. It is a secular society and it is the model for America. It is the reason you are seeing this assault. The left cannot be successful in a country with God-given rights. It can't because they want to be the purveyor of rights and if God is the purveyor then they lose. America is at a crossroads and a tipping point. This means it can go either way. This means you have the potential right here to make a huge difference in the future of our country. Be not afraid." - Rick Santorum, speaking Saturday at the Liberty Counsel's "Awakening" hate rally in Orlando.

Iceland Drops EU Membership Bid

Via the BBC:

The government of Iceland has announced it is no longer seeking EU membership for the North Atlantic state. Foreign Minister Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson said he had already informed current EU president Latvia and the European Commission about the cabinet's move. Iceland gave no reason for dropping its bid to join the 28-member bloc. But after winning the 2013 elections two Eurosceptic parties said the nation already enjoyed most full membership benefits through deals with the EU. The island nation has free trade arrangements with the bloc and is part of the Schengen visa-free travel zone.

Five other nations are formally recognized candidates for EU membership: Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Turkey.

European Union Parliament Declares That Same-Sex Marriage Is A Human Right

Huge news out of Europe today:

The European Parliament on Thursday called on EU member states to recognise civil unions and same-sex marriage as a civil and human right and urged governments and EU institutions to contribute to further discussion in this area. The call was contained in the 2013 global human rights and democracy report, approved by the assembly with 390 ayes, 151 nays and 97 abstentions. In it, the European Parliament acknowledged "the legalisation of marriage and civil unions between same-sex couples in a growing number of countries around the world, currently 17" and encouraged "the EU institutions and member states to further contribute towards reflection on the recognition of marriage or civil unions between people of the same sex as a political and social issue and a matter of civil and human rights".

The European Union currently has 28 members. Same-sex marriage is legal in eleven of them: Belgium, Denmark, Finland (effective 2017), France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia (effective date pending), Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland.)  Civil unions are legal in nine EU nations: Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia (effective 2016), Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Malta. No partnership recognitions exist in eight EU nations: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovakia. (Tipped by JMG readers Lulu and Andrea)

SLOVAKIA: Pope Francis Endorses Public Vote To Ban Gay Marriage & Adoption

Via J. Lester Feder at Buzzfeed:

Pope Francis gave his blessing on Wednesday to a referendum that would ban marriage and adoption rights for same-sex couples in Slovakia, which will be voted on this Saturday. “I greet the pilgrims from Slovakia and, through them, I wish to express my appreciation to the entire Slovak church, encouraging everyone to continue their efforts in defense of the family, the vital cell of society,” Francis said during Wednesday’s general audience in Rome. “For first time in Slovak modern history the Catholic Church is heavily involved in political campaign,” said Martin Macko, executive director of the LGBT rights group Inokost. The Slovak referendum follows the success of a similar ballot measure in another Catholic-majority Eastern European country, Croatia, which adopted a ban on recognizing the marriages of same-sex couples in December.

As I reported in October 2014, this weekend's referendum is being pushed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, who filed a local amicus brief even though Slovakia had already approved a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in June 2014, earning lavish praise from Brian Brown. The coming vote would essentially affirm that ban and widen it to include any recognition of same-sex relationships. Two related bills on the ballot would ban same-sex couples from adopting children and allow parents to withdraw their children from sex education classes.

Last week Right Wing Watch reported that Brown sent out an email blast asking supporters to join an anti-gay petition launched by CitizenGo, the Madrid-based anti-gay group where he serves on the board of directors. The petition urges Slovaks to vote in favor of the bills. Also supporting this weekend's vote is the World Congress of Families, another group Brown works with. In September 2014 Brown and World Congress of Families leaders attended a Kremlin summit which concluded with a formal written call for more nations to impose Russian-style anti-gay legislation.

Yet another organization backing the referendum is C-FAM, the viciously anti-gay Catholic group headed by Breitbart columnist Austin Ruse (above right), who was fired by the American Family Association last year after declaring during an AFA radio guest-hosting gig that liberal college professors should "all be taken out and shot." From C-FAM's website:

As was to be expected, the sodomist pressure group inside the European Parliament is furious. While they had no problem with narrow parliamentary majorities redefining marriage to include same-sex “marriages” in France, Spain, and other countries (usually without the matter having been discussed in the preceding electoral campaigns…), they abhor the idea that ordinary people should have their say on the matter. Sophie Veld, a Dutch MEP and leader of the homosexualist and pro-abortion lobby, described the forthcoming referendum as “distasteful”, thereby betraying her own rather selective adherence to human rights and democratic procedures. We, however, are looking forward to the outcome of this democratic vote.

Buzzfeed notes that the local Catholic Church is being evasive about their role in the referendum:

The leadership body of the Catholic Church in the country, the Conference of Slovak Bishops, has walked an awkward line around the referendum. On the one hand, the bishops have given full-throated support to the proposal, including endorsing the referendum in a televised mass and pastoral letter on Feb. 1. The conference also appears to have solicited funds to support the Alliance for Family through a page on its official website. On the other hand, it has bristled at the suggestion that the referendum is the creation of the church. “The referendum itself is an initiative of civil society; it’s not primarily of the church,” said the conference’s spokesman, Father Martin Kramara, in an interview with BuzzFeed News.

Per Slovakian law, at least 50% of all registered voters must cast a ballot in order for a law to be valid. That rule reportedly gives local LGBT activists some hope and they are urging Slovaks not to vote at all rather than vote against the three proposed bills. But with Pope Francis now aligning himself with some of the most powerful US-based anti-gay hate groups, that tactic may prove futile, particularly because of Slovakia's small population.

Still, the Economist notes that three out of four recent national referendums failed to meet the 50% threshold, with only the 2003 vote to join the European Union succeeding. Should the bills be approved, LGBT activists have vowed to take the issue to EU courts. Whatever the outcome, Slovakia will remain the leading example of US-based religious groups off-shoring their hatred of LGBT people because they increasingly find little traction at home. Our wins are the world's loss.

European Union High Court Bans Sexuality Tests For Gay Asylum Seekers

Via Newsweek:

The Court of Justice of the European Union, which interprets EU law to ensure that it is equally applied in all EU countries, today ruled that refugees who claim asylum based on their homosexuality should not have to undergo invasive tests to prove it, including detailed questioning on their sexual habits. The Luxembourg-based court said that determining a refugee’s sexuality must be carried out in a way that respects human dignity. The judgement was made in response to an appeal from three refugees, including a Ugandan and one from an unnamed Muslim country, who tried to seek asylum in the Netherlands, for fear of being persecuted in their home country. Each was denied asylum on the grounds that their sexual orientation had not been proven. Today the court ruled that the credibility of an asylum claim on the basis of homosexuality could not be rejected just because the person in question refuses to answer questions about their personal circumstances. While national authorities are entitled to interview asylum applicants, they must do so in a way that does not violate the right of the asylum seekers private and family life.

SLOVAKIA: Anti-Gay Group Forces Vote On Marriage And Same-Sex Adoption

Even though a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage was enacted by Slovakia earlier this year, an anti-gay group wants to make it super illegal and ban gay adoption at the same time. Via Gay Star News:

Slovakian President Andrej Kiska has announced that the country will hold a referendum on same-sex marriage in early 2015. The conservative group, Alliance for Family, has supported the move. The group has gathered 400,000 signatures supporting the idea of a referendum that will seek to ask Slovakians if they agree that marriage can only be a union between a man and a woman. The referendum will also ask citizens if they agree that same-sex partners can’t adopt children, and that children won’t have to attend sex education classes at school if their parents wish to keep them away. Kiska asked Slovakia’s constitutional court (ÚS) to rule last month on whether such a referendum would violate the constitution. ÚS ruled that it did not, but turned down a question on registered partnerships being included. Alliance for Family had previously wanted to include a question that could potentially implement a ban on any future recognition of same-sex partnerships.

The petition for the referendum was backed the Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom. When the legislative ban was enacted in June, hate group leader Brian Brown applauded Slovakia for not being "duped by this demonic incursion of sexual anarchy." A majority of Slovakians identify as Catholic.

RELATED: Eight members of the 28-nation European Union have legalized same-sex marriage: Finland, Belgium, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (England & Wales). Nine EU members offer civil unions or partnerships: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, and Slovenia. Eleven EU nations currently offer no recognition of same-sex couples: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

MAP: What EU Nations Are Worst At

The categories for France, Denmark. and Romania are really dumb compared to the seriousness of the others. Visit Thrillist for a breakdown. A huge version of the map is here. (Via JMG reader Aaron)

MONTENEGRO: Small LGBT Pride Event Takes Place Under Massive Police Presence

Last year hundreds of violent anti-gay extremists attacked a tiny gay pride parade in Montenegro. This year's even smaller event went off yesterday without incident and under heavy police protection as the small nation campaigns to join the European Union. Via Yahoo News:

Barely 100 people joined a gay pride parade Sunday in the capital of deeply conservative Montenegro, vastly outnumbered by some 2,000 police amid fears of violence. Waving banners reading "Traditionally Proud," "Silence = Death" and "This is Just the Beginning," they marched past the main government buildings of central Podgorica. Human Rights Minister Suad Numanovic and Podgorica Mayor Slavoljub Stijepanovic joined the parade along with ambassadors of several member states of the European Union, which Montenegro is in talks to join. Mitja Drobnic, the head of the EU delegation in Montenegro, also took part, telling reporters: "Human rights make part of the rule of law. Without results achieved in the area of the rule of law there is no progress towards EU membership."

From The President Of Estonia

Ilves was born in Sweden to Estonian refugees and was raised in New Jersey. He's a graduate of Columbia and has a master's degree from Penn. Dare we call him the first Ivy League president of a former Soviet republic?

ESTONIA: Civil Unions Approved

Estonia today became the first former Soviet republic to approve a civil unions bill. The vote was very close. Via the Associated Press:

In a 40-38 vote, lawmakers voted Thursday in favor of a civil partnership act that recognizes the civil unions of all couples regardless of gender. Twenty-three lawmakers were absent or abstained in the third and final reading of the bill. The new law comes into force in 2016. Estonia, which like Baltic neighbors Latvia and Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union for almost five decades, is deemed the most Western-oriented of the former republics ruled by Moscow. The Estonian Human Rights Center hailed the law as "historic," saying it would send a strong message to neighboring Russia, which passed what it called "a draconian anti-gay law" last year.

More from Estonia Public Broadcasting:

If signed by President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the Cohabitation Act would enter force in 2016 and allow cohabitating couples, irrespective of the gender of either partner, the right to register their relationship at a notary and enjoy the kinds of financial benefits conferred by marriage. The final version also provides for the possibility of adoption by unmarried cohabiting couples. There is some fine print, however: to enter into force in 2016, some implementing acts will have to be passed first. These require 51 of 101 MPs to be in favor.

The Family Act, which was not affected by the bill, continues to define marriage as being between a man and a woman. The Reform Party, the ruling party which championed the bill along with the Social Democrats, hailed the passage as a game-changer. In a political process that saw protests, petitions and social media campaigns, top Reform Party MP and former justice minister Kristen Michal said it debunked the myth that Estonians were closed-minded. "Estonia is very small. There are too few people for building walls between neighbors," he said.

You may recall that NOM and other US-based Christian groups have campaigned against LGBT rights in Estonia.

On Monday the US-based LifeSiteNews reported on Christian opposition to today's achievement.

Pro-family Estonians held a massive rally against a proposed civil union law, which they say is a precursor to legalized same-sex "marriage," outside the Parliament building in the capital city of Tallinn on Sunday. Several thousand people came out for the rally to voice their opposition to the draft "Cohabitation Act" that would allow cohabiting couples, regardless of sexual orientation or gender, the same legal protection as married couples.

"The adoption of this law would be a part of a much wider effort to pervert our society's moral foundations and this thing would not stop with approving the law. We have gathered here to send politicians a very clear message – the Estonian people will not accept humiliation, ignoring our cultural traditions, whether it is done under the perverse slogan of tolerance, or under the pressure of foreign masters," said Varro Vooglaid, head of the Foundation for the Defense of Tradition and Family, which organized the protest.

Could this week get ANY worse for Brian Brown? Snork!

SLOVAKIA: Hate Group Alliance Defending Freedom Lobbies Against LGBT Rights

The Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom is taking their battle against LGBT equality to Slovakia.

"The people of Slovakia should have the freedom to preserve marriage and family if they so choose," said Alliance Defending Freedom senior legal counsel Roger Kiska, who filed an amicus brief with the court. "This referendum will allow Slovaks to affirm current Slovak law and important social values, which is perfectly acceptable under the Slovak Constitution." More than 400,000 citizens signed the petition supporting a referendum, according to Roger Kiska—more than the required number of signatures. However, Slovak President Andrej Kiska asked the Constitutional Court to review the measure because of a provision in the country's constitution that forbids holding a referendum to change "fundamental rights and liberties."

Slovakia banned same-sex marriage in June. The proposed referendum backed by the ADF would stiffen that ban to include any recognition of same-sex relationships and ban unmarried people from adopting children.

RELATED: Eight members of the 28-nation European Union have legalized same-sex marriage: Belgium, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (England & Wales). Nine EU members offer civil unions or partnerships: Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, and Slovenia. Eleven EU nations currently offer no recognition of same-sex couples: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

Slovakia Bans Same-Sex Marriage

Slovakia's national legislature has approved a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

The amendment, drafted by leftist Prime Minister Robert Fico's Smer-Social Democraty party and the opposition Christian Democrats, was backed by 102 lawmakers while 18 voted against it. The amendment required a two-thirds majority in the 150-member parliament. 'The marriage amendment will not bring about any drastic changes, it only seals in the constitution what is already defined by law,' said Fico, whose Smer is a member of the traditionally liberal Party of European Socialists group in the European Parliament. The European Union's newest member Croatia outlawed same-sex marriage in a referendum last year, triggering a similar constitutional amendment, but swiftly passed a civil union law for same-sex couples. No form of same-sex civil union is legal in Slovakia, where more than 70 per cent of the population of 5.4 million is Christian, according to a 2011 census.

RELATED: Eight members of the 28-nation European Union have legalized same-sex marriage: Belgium, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (England & Wales). Nine EU members offer civil unions or partnerships: Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, and Slovenia. Eleven EU nations currently offer no recognition of same-sex couples: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

Ukraine Withdraws LGBT Rights Bill

The Ukrainian government has withdrawn an employment rights bill and resubmitted it without sexual orientation protections. The move might imperil Ukraine's bid for closer ties to the European Union.

Claude Moraes MEP, Rapporteur on Ukraine and Member of the LGBT Intergroup, reacted: “It is extremely worrying that Ukraine’s government seems unwilling to adopt legislation that would ensure protection from discrimination to all people at work. LGBT people still face discrimination in every single area of life, and clearly need basic legal protection. The European Parliament’s position has always been clear on this. Further visa liberalisation measures must go hand in hand with the adoption of anti-discrimination measures by the Verkhovna Rada as agreed, including sexual orientation.”

RELATED: Two weeks ago Crimean authorities banned gay pride events following Russia's annexation of the region.

BELGIUM: Obama Slams Russia On Gay Rights During EU Keynote Address

President Obama yesterday delivered the keynote speech before European Union and NATO leaders in Brussels, during which he denounced Russia's campaign against its LGBT citizens. CNN reports:

"We believe in human dignity - that every person is created equal, no matter who you are, or what you look like, or who you love, or where you come from," he said. Later, Obama reiterated criticism of Russian intolerance spawned by a law passed before the Sochi Olympics that outlawed promoting gay rights to children. Western ideals and values of openness and tolerance would endure long past repression, he argued. "Instead of targeting our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters, we can use our laws to protect their rights," he said. "Instead of defining ourselves in opposition to others, we can affirm the aspirations that we hold in common. That's what will make America strong. That's what will make Europe strong. That's what makes us who we are."

Here is the president's speech in full.

ITALY: Venice Begins Secession Vote

The Italian region of Veneto yesterday began voting in a secession referendum.

La Serenissima — or the Most Serene Republic of Venice — was an independent trading power for a millennium before its last leader was deposed by Napoleon in 1797. The republic encompassed not just Venice but what is now the surrounding region of Veneto and it is there that the vote will take place from Sunday until Friday. Campaigners have been inspired by the example of Scotland, which will hold its referendum on independence in September, and Catalonia, where around half the population say they want to break away from Spain. Activists say that the latest polling shows that 65% of voters in the Veneto region, which includes historic cities such as Treviso, Vicenza and Verona, are in favour of cutting ties with Rome.

Most of Veneto's five million residents speak or can understand Venetian. More about the vote from the Independent:

The populist Northern League – together with much of the region's electorate – sees the capital and the rest of the country as a drain on the local economy. The party's leader in Veneto, Federico Caner, cites official figures that suggest this wealthy and industrialised region pays €20bn more in taxes to Rome than it receives in investment and services. "We have our own identity, history and culture," he said. "Before Italy was a nation, Venice was the world's first democratic republic that had endured for 1,000 years."

Opponents point out that Veneto would have to apply for membership in the European Union and until that happens, trade with EU nations could be severely restricted.

EU Calls Emergency Meeting On Ukraine

Reuters reports:

EU foreign ministers called an emergency meeting on Ukraine for Thursday and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the 28-nation bloc was set to impose sanctions against those blamed for the bloodshed. "We have ... made it clear that the EU will respond to any deterioration on the ground," Barroso said in a statement. "We therefore expect that targeted measures against those responsible for violence and use of excessive force can be agreed by our member states as a matter of urgency." EU ambassadors were meeting in Brussels to consider steps including travel bans to asset freezes. Neighboring Poland and former Soviet republic Latvia called for emergency EU action against the Ukrainian authorities. The leaders of Germany and France, the EU's main powers, were meeting in Paris and were expected to issue a joint statement on the crisis later in the day. French President Francois Hollande backed Poland's call for "quick and targeted sanctions against those responsible".

The US State Department has issued a warning to Americans in Ukraine.

Since February 18, there has been a sharp escalation in violence between protesters and police. The Ukrainian Security Services have announced that they may take extraordinary measures beginning the evening of February 18. U.S. citizens are urged to maintain a low profile and to remain indoors at night while clashes continue. As of February 18, the Kyiv Metro (subway) has been shut down and access into Kyiv by road has, according to credible reports, been restricted. The situation is currently very fluid and U.S. citizens in Kyiv should follow media reports closely as events develop.

VIDEO: The below clip has gone viral in the last few days.