Globe in Kiev: Police, protesters clash after Yanukovych's offers foes posts As Ukraine's opposition leaders dug in against President Viktor Yanukovych, protesters in Kiev smashed their way into the city's conference centre Saturday night, trapping 200 police officers inside. Late Saturday, the country's three opposition leaders rejected a proposal from Mr. Yanukovych to join the government and take the posts of prime minister and deputy prime minister. The leaders said the offer was not enough and they continued to demand that Mr. Yanukovych resign. The authorities have put our country on the brink of a split. They put us on the brink of a civil war," Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who heads the largest opposition group called the Fatherland Party, told a cheering crowd of protesters Saturday night. Later in a message directed Mr. Yanukovych on Twitter he said: "We're finishing what we started. The people decide our leaders, not you. Hours after the proposal was rejected, hundreds of protesters stormed Ukraine House, a conference centre near Independence Square where most of the demonstrations have taken place for the past two months. The protesters had found out that the police were using the centre as a possible staging area and 200 officers were inside when it was surrounded. The demonstrators shattered the windows along the front of the building, threw Molotov cocktails inside and fired off several rounds of fireworks, causing flames to briefly break out inside. "Come join us," some shouted at the officers while others sang the national anthem. Down the street at a series of barricades just in front of a long line of police, officers shone two massive flood lights into the crowd. That did little to stop the protesters along the barricades, who kept pounding on drums and burnt out cars, and burning piles of tires. After a standoff that lasted most of the night, the police officers were allowed to leave the building and some were treated by medical staff. They filed out to cries of "shame" from the crowd. By Sunday morning the building was being used as a rest area for protesters. Inside the lobby several young men wearing motorcycle helmets and carrying clubs stood guard, while others slept on mats in the meeting rooms. Hot drinks and sandwiches were also being handed out. Protesters believe the police used the roof of the centre to shoot at demonstrators. On Sunday they produced bullet cartridges they said had been found inside. The police have denied using live ammunition. On Sunday the Interior Ministry also accused the protesters of trying to take the police hostage. "The goal of the protesters was taking the policemen captive and exchanging them for arrested or detained activists," the ministry said in a statement. It is unclear if more negotiations will take place Sunday. Former boxer Vitali Klitschko, who leads an opposition party called Ukraine Democratic Alliance for Reform, said he is open to more discussions and the other leaders have also indicated that they are prepared to negotiate further. Mr. Yanukovych has promised to recall parliament Tuesday to consider opposition demands. He has also indicated that he is willing to scale back recently enacted laws that prohibit protests and consider changes to the constitution that would limit presidential power. However, many protesters view the offers as stalling tactics and they have become resolute in demanding that Mr. Yanukovych resign.