Protestors return to site of violent clashes with police
THOUSANDS of Romanians held another anti-government protest on Saturday, a day after a demonstration turned violent, leaving 455 people, including riot police, needing medical treatment.
Protesters carrying Romanian, EU and other flags rallied outside government offices in Bucharest, the capital, the same site of the Friday protest.
“Have no fear! Romanians will rise up!” protesters yelled.
Government critics say Romania has lost ground in fighting corruption since the ruling Social Democratic Party assumed power in 2016. They are urging the government to resign and call an election.
Earlier on Saturday, Romanian riot police had defended their use of force at the protest on Friday night in which 70 people, including 11 riot police, had to be taken to hospital.
Marius Militaru, a spokesman for Romania’s riot police, said police are pursuing charges against eight people.
Militaru said officers were ordered by Bucharest city officials to evacuate Victory Square late on Friday after a protest in front of government offices drew tens of thousands demanding the government’s resignation.
Another police spokesman, Georgian Enache, said “the legitimate state violence” was justified because protesters had been warned several times to leave the square.
Riot police fired tear gas and water cannons on protesters. Some protesters lobbed rocks, bottles and smoke bombs at police. Some people sustained head and other injuries while others were overcome by tear gas, authorities said.
Interior minister Carmen Dan said the riot police had not “intervened against peaceful protesters, but against dangerous hooligans who attacked the state’s authority”.
But President Klaus Iohannis, a critic of the left-wing government, condemned “the brutal intervention of riot police” on Friday night.
Three journalists said they were also subjected to police violence.
Austrian public broadcaster ORF said on Saturday a cameraman covering the protest was beaten by police with truncheons.
A journalist filming the rally for Romania’s Hotnews website said he was kicked and shoved by riot police.
Protestor Isabela Conduruta, a 45-year-old Romanian who has worked as a cleaner for 12 years in Germany, said: “We want to return to Romania, but there’s too much corruption and the health care is dismal.”