[ad_1]
The great protest against the government of the “Great Popular Uprising” took place under a police blockade, a closed square, with clashes, the use of hot spray and arrests. It began at 8 a.m. Wednesday to welcome lawmakers on their first business day after summer break. Even then, it became clear that the Interior Ministry had adopted the tactic of keeping the protest only in the square between the presidency and the former Party House, where parliament now stands.
Sn. BGNES
Bul. Dondukov was shut down by the police and the team. The other blockade was at the corner of the BNB: several police buses and vans were parked on the other side of the square. Between them was a thick cordon of heavily equipped policemen. Behind them, in the square in front of the Royal Palace, they were reinforced by officials. The place of the protest could only be reached from the presidency and passing through the central department stores.
The protest, which lasted all day and ended at night, was diverse and numerous. Many citizens gathered in the square, including young people who regularly participate in the 56-day demonstration started by the “Poison Trio”. There were supporters of the extra-parliamentary union “Democratic Bulgaria”, the initiative “Justice for all”, the association “Fighter”, the mothers of “The system kills us”, as well as the party “Vazrazhdane” together with its president Kostadin Kostadinov.
Eggs and lutiv spray
The “Great Popular Uprising” against the ruling party began with the launching of eggs, apples, tomatoes and copies of 500 euro bills at the police guarding the building of the old Party House. Prime Minister Boyko Borissov did not honor the opening of the new session of the National Assembly with his presence, but President Rumen Radev, who was boycotted by the ruling party, delivered a speech. GERB’s main task on this day is to provide 120 signatures for the presentation of their draft new constitution and the convocation of a Grand National Assembly, which gives them the opportunity to complete their mandate rather than resign. However, the MRF has called for an expert government as an alternative to early elections.
Sn. Mediapool
Tensions in the square rose shortly before 10 am A group of protesters tried to break the blockade in front of the BNB. Police responded with hot spray, batons, and shields. There were dozens of people gassed and people backed away quickly. This scene was repeated many times over the next two hours. Eggs, tomatoes and plastic bottles were thrown at the police. Several protesters even tried to remove the cobblestones from the square, but their task proved difficult and they gave up. Others began shaking police buses in an attempt to overturn them. This procedure was repeated many times without success. In front of the Party House, the police were shot with straw.
Sn. Mediapool
Shortly after the start of the protest, the SDVR held an extraordinary briefing, in which Chief Georgi Hadjiev stated that the police were determined to use force. It reported that there were 20 injured employees. Ambulances were stationed in various places around the square, where gassed and beaten people sought help.
Among the victims were the bTV and BNT teams. The police did not allow a journalist from the Sega newspaper to cover the event.
Sn. BGNES
“We have repeatedly asked citizens to protest peacefully. From the images it is clear that aggression against the police is increasing. More than 20 soldiers were gassed. We are forced to wear personal protective equipment. If the tension increases, physical force will be used. They beat their companions with stones, eggs, tomatoes. I hope you hear our call. Let’s keep the civil peace“Hadjiev said.
He expressed his hope that the protesters heed the call of the SDVR.
“We are trying to reduce the tension in front of the National Assembly building. We are there to preserve civil peace and prevent serious violations of public order. So far, police officers are passive“Hadjiev said.
Photos of a protester holding a shield with the words “Gendarmerie” were published on the Facebook page “SDVR – Sofia Police”. It is not clear if he did it himself or was caught by the police.
Dozens of detainees
Shortly before 10 a.m., the police pulled out dozens of protesters and gendarmerie buses pulled aside.
Some were arrested after crossing the police cordon. Others were arrested for assault on police officers: jumping into company cars, pushing uniforms. There were arrests early in the morning when protesters began laying eggs. A large group of protesters was detained in front of the Military Club and they were not allowed to protest.
Photo: SDVR Facebook
It’s not our fault
“Comrades with helmets and shields came out because of the attack, but we did not provoke the protesters. Although colleagues in yellow vests were on the front lines, an initial attempt was made to shake up and overturn the police cars. Subsequently, they began to throw objects at their colleagues: apples, onions, tomatoes, eggs. There are detainees. The situation is dynamic“said Ivan Georgiev of the Security Police, who leads the uniformed in the square.
According to him, a dialogue was sought with the protesters, but they avoided it.
The police team met on Dondukov Blvd. There are also reinforcements for the police who surrounded the building. Photo: Mediapool
The protest began to subside around noon. Several groups left unhappy. And the police stayed on the blocked streets. Citizens were not allowed at any of the Dondukov Blvd. intersections between Party House and Levski Blvd.
On Tuesday, the day before the protest, it became clear that a blockade of the center was being prepared. Numerous photos of columns of patrol cars and police teams traveling in Sofia appeared on social media. Around Alexander Nevsky, trucks with water cannons were piled up, which were never used. In the square in front of the presidency, many people complained about internet connection problems.
Protesters smashed the yellow cobblestones
Protesters in central Sofia began breaking up yellow paving stones on Wednesday. This is demonstrated by the publications on social networks and a video distributed by SDVR.
The photos show that young people wear the national tricolor for this purpose.
The deputy mayor of Sofia, Todor Chobanov, condemned the action:
“The favorite of generations of Sofia residents and guests of the yellow cobblestones of the city, compared to the golden paths of” The Wizard of Oz “, one of the brightest symbols of the Bulgarian capital. Survived tanks, bombings and all kind of historical upheavals. “ He pointed to Facebook alongside photos of young people breaking cobblestones.
Did you find this article helpful?
We would be delighted that you support the electronic edition of Mediapool.bg, so that you can continue to have an independent, professional and honest means of analysis of information.
Support us
Subscribe to the most important news, analysis and commentary on the day’s events. The newsletter is sent to your email address every day at 18:00.
Subscription
[ad_2]
