Demonstrators Try To Block Ukraine's Constitutional Court

An estimated 6,000 opponents of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych tried to prevent justices from entering the court and delayed the second day of hearings on the legality of President Viktor Yushchenko's dissolution of parliament.

Police linked arms and formed a corridor allowing the justices to enter.

The hearing began approximately one hour late. The court's chief justice, Ivan Dombrovskyy, said that 16 of the 18 judges were present.

Yushchenko's allies say the court is too corrupt to render an objective ruling.  

"We came because we are afraid that the Constitutional Court is already corrupt, and it won't let people hold elections and kick out this gang [the government led by Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych]," a pro-Yushchenko demonstrator told RFE/RL. "We will stay until the presidential decree dissolving [parliament] is carried out and elections held."

Yushchenko claimed in a letter to the court that one judge, Syuzanna Stanik, received property worth $12 million in an attempt to influence her decision. Stanik denies the allegation, and Ukraine's Prosecutor-General's Office calls the charge baseless.

Approximately 2,000 Yanukovych supporters were also present at the court building.

On April 2, Yushchenko dissolved parliament and called new elections for May 27, sparking the current showdown.

(with material from news agencies)