(KIEV) - Protesters in Kiev have come up with a novel way to torment riot police -- blasting non-stop news from an opposition television channel projected onto a giant white sheet behind their barricade.

The screen has been set up between two poles on the edge of a giant protest camp in central Kiev -- just a few dozen metres (yards) from lines of riot police defending government buildings.

The police are not taking the affront lying down and are striking back with a mix of World War II tunes and golden oldies by Soviet crooners.

"As soon as we started playing the news, they turned on the music. We've got a good sound system, but their music is louder," said a masked protester who gave his name as Vadim.

The militant, who was reluctant to identify himself for fear of prosecution, said the idea was that seeing the opposition's view of the situation might change police mentalities.

But he said he did not hold out much hope.

"We've noticed that they're really not interested in the news. They are people with a different world view. They are convinced that we are bad, that we are enemies," he said.

Every now and then a shout goes up from the protesters for police officers to lay down their riot shields and come and join the opposition side -- so far there has been no response.