Mon, 20 Feb 2012 02:08:23 GMT | By Amirul Ruslan, photos by AP Photos and AFP
Meet FEMEN: Ukraine's topless feminist protesters

FEMEN, high-profile feminist activists with a topless touch

Activists of the Ukrainian women's movement FEMEN brave the cold (-22 C, but due to high humidity and wind, weather experts said it would feel more like -31 C) in front of the Russia's natural gas monopoly giant Gazprom headquarters in central Moscow, on February 13, 2012, during their topless protest against what they called "anti-Ukraine gas terror." The posters read: "Stinking worms!" (L) "Miller [Gazprom's CEO] is Mueller [chief of Hitler's Gestapo]!" (R) Ukraine and Russia have for months been locked in talks, with Kiev seeking to negotiate a better gas price and Moscow angling for control of Kiev's Soviet-era gas pipeline network. (AFP PHOTO / NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA) (© AFP PHOTO / NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA)
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  • Activists of the Ukrainian women's movement FEMEN brave the cold (-22 C, but due to high humidity and wind, weather experts said it would feel more like -31 C) in front of the Russia's natural gas monopoly giant Gazprom headquarters in central Moscow, on February 13, 2012, during their topless protest against what they called "anti-Ukraine gas terror." The posters read: "Stinking worms!" (L) "Miller [Gazprom's CEO] is Mueller [chief of Hitler's Gestapo]!" (R) Ukraine and Russia have for months been locked in talks, with Kiev seeking to negotiate a better gas price and Moscow angling for control of Kiev's Soviet-era gas pipeline network. (AFP PHOTO / NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA) (© AFP PHOTO / NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA)
  • Activists of the Ukrainian women's movement FEMEN brave the cold (-22 C, but due to high humidity and wind, weather experts said it would feel more like -31 C) in front of the Russia’s natural gas monopoly giant Gazprom headquarters in central Moscow, on February 13, 2012, during their topless protest against what they called “anti–Ukraine gas terror.” The posters read: "Stinking worms!" (L) "Miller [Gazprom's CEO] is Mueller [chief of Hitler's Gestapo]!" (R) Ukraine and Russia have for months been locked in talks, with Kiev seeking to negotiate a better gas price and Moscow angling for control of Kiev's Soviet-era gas pipeline network. AFP PHOTO / NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA (© AFP PHOTO / NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA)
  • An activists of the Ukrainian women's movement FEMEN waves her national flag braving the cold (-22 C, but due to high humidity and wind, weather experts said it would feel more like -31 C) in front of the Russia’s natural gas monopoly giant Gazprom headquarters in central Moscow, on February 13, 2012, during their topless protest against what they called “anti–Ukraine gas terror.” Ukraine and Russia have for months been locked in talks, with Kiev seeking to negotiate a better gas price and Moscow angling for control of Kiev's Soviet-era gas pipeline network. (AFP PHOTO / NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA) (© AFP PHOTO / NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA)
  • Activists of the Women's Movement ?FEMEN? shout slogans in front of the Cabinet in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 17, 2010. Dozens of activists of the human rights group FEMEN protested against Ukraine's new all male government demanding posts for women. Posters read "Give a portfolio!",(AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (© AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
  • Activists of the Women's Movement “FEMEN” protest in front of the Cabinet in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 17, 2010. Dozens of activists of the human rights group FEMEN protested against Ukraine's new all male government demanding posts for women. The writing on the portfolio reads "Minister of Swab and Broom". (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (© AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
  • Police detain Inna Shevchenko, a member of women's activist group FEMEN, in front of the Cabinet in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 17, 2010. Dozens of activists of the human rights group FEMEN protested against Ukraine's new all male government demanding posts for women. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (© AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
  • Activists of the Women's Movement “FEMEN” shout slogans “Ukraine is a no brothel!” during a rally outside the parliament in Kiev, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009. The inscription on the shirt reads “Ukraine is a no brothel!”. The Women's Movement “FEMEN” is an organization of the young women of the city of Kiev oriented on the women-students of the capital. The main program of the movement is the national campaign against the sex tourism and women trafficking in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (© AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
  • A Ukrainian policeman tries to prevent a demonstration by members of the Ukrainian activist pressure group FEMEN during their action at Independence square in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010, as they make fun of their country's bad performance in the current Winter Olympics. The human rights group FEMEN parodied the poor performance by Ukrainian sportsmen at the Canada Winter Olympic Games 2010, and are calling for better funding for sports in Ukraine.(AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (© AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
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Ukrainean feminist protest group FEMEN has risen to a peculiar brand of fame (and infamy) with their high-profile demonstrations against big oil, rigged elections, sex tourism, mail-order bride agencies, and more. Simultaneously admired and reviled by other feminist organizations, their demonstrations frequently involve FEMEN members, mostly university students between 18-20 years old, protesting topless. FEMEN opponents accuse the group of being linked to foreign intelligence agencies, with one Ukrainean leader going as far as claiming that FEMEN was being funded by Russian president Vladimir Putin, despite the group having protested against Putin frequently. A FEMEN leader, Anna Hutsol, explains their philosophy of topless protesting by saying, "Topless protests are probably the strongest and most effective form of peaceful and nonviolent protests to attract attention."

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5Comments
Someone
Jun 11, 2012 10:06PM
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what these young girls feel for their country surpasses the old male hogs at their parliament. The shameless men will enjoy this protest...but shame on them that their women have to bare themselves for justice. Shame on Russia and Ukrain. If you respect your mothers, don't under estimate these female voices for justice.
Loti Tao
Jun 12, 2012 11:57PM
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I believe most Malaysians prefer FEMEN's topless protests to the recent "bottomless" protests by the pro-BN army veterans. Who wants to see old buns instead of young t**s? 
Someone
Jun 11, 2012 10:02PM
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way to go girls....women power can do wonders. Shame on the men whose women have to bare themselves to get justice and human rights. Shame on the govt who use force on these peaceful demonstrations. Putin is a Russion communist through and through....democracy​ is a joke with them. An act. The women must collect a bigger force. I admire their guts...they're from the school of journalism...and here in M'sia we have our media licking the shoes of their bosses..the politicians.
Sar3 Ong
Jun 15, 2012 1:36AM
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Yes, I think future pro-BN protest should go topless as well. But of course with their puritanical censor board glowering over them, only their male protesters will be able to do it. The FRU water cannon unit will come in handy then - to wash away all the vomit that the spectators are bound to throw up when they witness all the ugly overflowing body fats of the protesters.
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