KIEV, Nov 25: Ukrainian police lobbed tear gas on Monday at pro-European demonstrators staging protests for the second day outside the government seat in Kiev over a decision to scrap a key pact with the EU.

Scuffles broke out outside the government headquarters shortly before the European Union said the offer of a broad political and economic deal this week was “still on the table”.

A day earlier, tens of thousands swarmed central Kiev chanting ‘revolution’ and waving flags, in the biggest rally since the 2004 Orange Revolution overturned a rigged presidential poll and forced a new ballot.

Despite rain up to 1,000 protesters returned on Monday to force President Viktor Yanukovych to sign the agreement at a summit in Vilnius, demanding the government’s resignation.

Some attempted to enter the government building but were forced back by riot police with tear gas.

The authorities later said the tear gas was used by opposition activists, not police.

Protest leaders said the attempted storming of the government building – for the second time in two days – was a “provocation” caused by unknown troublemakers.

“We will continue our protests until the agreement is signed,” world boxing champion and opposition leader Vitali Klitschko told the crowd.

Ultra-nationalist party Svoboda said one of its activists had his arm broken by riot police.

Some 15,000 also rallied in the fiercely pro-Western city of Lviv, while some 12,000 protested in the nearby city of Ivano-Frankivsk.

In Kiev, the opposition has set up around 20 tents and vowed to remain there until Mr Yanukovych signs the agreement.

“People took to the streets to defend Ukraine’s European choice,” protester Natalia Yagoda said.

In a bid to claim immunity from arrest, protesters put up signs on some of the tents turning them into makeshift lawmakers’ offices.

Last week the government halted work to sign the Association Agreement, seen as a first step toward EU membership that would have marked a historic break from the Kremlin.

The decision came after the parliament failed to adopt legislation that would have freed jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, a key EU condition for the signing of the agreement.—AFP