Tyres piled high by anti-government protesters in Ukraine are no longer just the building blocks of barricades.

They were set alight overnight, creating a wall of fire to keep riot police at bay.

Protesters near Independence Square in Kyiv threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at security forces who responded with tear gas.

Activists say at least one person was injured by police firing rubber bullets.

Authorities claim three police officers were attacked and abducted.

Friday night’s violence shows that concessions from President Viktor Yanukovych, like an amnesty for activists detained for crimes not deemed serious, won’t satisfy protesters.

There has been an upsurge in violence in recent days. The opposition claims at least five activists have been killed.

In what started as a pro-European movement, protesters now want nothing less than the resignation of Ukraine’s president.