A week later, on 2 May, a rally by about 1,500 pro-government demonstrators, including football ultras, was attacked by visibly smaller group of alleged pro-Russian militants with batons and helmets.
Both sides clashed in the streets of central Odessa, building barricades, throwing petrol bombs, and firing automatic weapons at each other.

The anti-Maidan protesters were later overwhelmed by the much larger group of Ukrainian unity protesters, forcing them to retreat to and occupy the Trade Unions House.
Whilst defending the building, militants on the roof tossed rocks and petrol bombs at the protesters below, who responded in kind with petrol bombs of their own.
The building then caught fire.
In total, 43 people died during the clashes.
Thirty-one died whilst trapped in the burning Trade Unions House.
Police said at least three people were shot dead.

In the aftermath of the clashes, on 4 May, the main Internal Affairs Ministry office in Odessa was attacked by pro-Russian protesters.
They demanded the release of their "comrades" who had participated in the clashes.
The police complied, resulting in the freeing of 67 of those arrested.
By 5 May, the situation in Odessa had calmed, though the atmosphere remained extremely tense.

About sixty people gathered on Kulikovo Field to commemorate the 2 May fire on 13 July.
The demonstration was peaceful.
Another demonstration on the field on the same day drew about 120 people.
They chanted "Donbass, we are with you", in reference to the ongoing War in Donbass.
Odessa city mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov told OSCE monitors on 23 July that the "underlying tensions" of the 2 May clashes remained in the city, and that he feared for the city's security.

Odessa was struck by six bomb blasts in December 2014, one of which killed one person (the injuries sustained by the victim indicated that he had dealt with explosives).
Internal Affairs Ministry advisor Zorian Shkiryak said on 25 December that Odessa and Kharkiv had become "cities which are being used to escalate tensions" in Ukraine.
Shkiryak said that he suspected that these cities were singled out because of their "geographic position".

The Security Service of Ukraine claims that in April 2015 it prevented the proclamation of a so-called "Bessarabian People’s Republic".
According to the security service the separatist network behind it also wanted to set up a "Odesa People's Republic", "Porto-Franko" and other breakaway entities.
A week later, on 2 May, a rally by about 1,500 pro-government demonstrators, including football ultras, was attacked by visibly smaller group of alleged pro-Russian militants with batons and helmets. Both sides clashed in the streets of central Odessa, building barricades, throwing petrol bombs, and firing automatic weapons at each other.
The anti-Maidan protesters were later overwhelmed by the much larger group of Ukrainian unity protesters, forcing them to retreat to and occupy the Trade Unions House. Whilst defending the building, militants on the roof tossed rocks and petrol bombs at the protesters below, who responded in kind with petrol bombs of their own. The building then caught fire. In total, 43 people died during the clashes. Thirty-one died whilst trapped in the burning Trade Unions House. Police said at least three people were shot dead.
In the aftermath of the clashes, on 4 May, the main Internal Affairs Ministry office in Odessa was attacked by pro-Russian protesters. They demanded the release of their "comrades" who had participated in the clashes. The police complied, resulting in the freeing of 67 of those arrested. By 5 May, the situation in Odessa had calmed, though the atmosphere remained extremely tense.
About sixty people gathered on Kulikovo Field to commemorate the 2 May fire on 13 July. The demonstration was peaceful. Another demonstration on the field on the same day drew about 120 people. They chanted "Donbass, we are with you", in reference to the ongoing War in Donbass. Odessa city mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov told OSCE monitors on 23 July that the "underlying tensions" of the 2 May clashes remained in the city, and that he feared for the city's security.
Odessa was struck by six bomb blasts in December 2014, one of which killed one person (the injuries sustained by the victim indicated that he had dealt with explosives). Internal Affairs Ministry advisor Zorian Shkiryak said on 25 December that Odessa and Kharkiv had become "cities which are being used to escalate tensions" in Ukraine. Shkiryak said that he suspected that these cities were singled out because of their "geographic position".
The Security Service of Ukraine claims that in April 2015 it prevented the proclamation of a so-called "Bessarabian People’s Republic". According to the security service the separatist network behind it also wanted to set up a "Odesa People's Republic", "Porto-Franko" and other breakaway entities.
2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine