Protests resumed in Bucharest, countrywide against controversial criminal law amendments. Over 300,000 join unprecedented rallies. Incidents reported after agitators threw firecrackers. 5 injured, 20 detained

Romanians resumed protests on Wednesday against the emergency ordinance amending the criminal law. People have gathered in front of the Government’s building in the Capital city since morning, with their number rising in the evening.

Overall, more than 300,000 people took to the streets in 30 cities in what the media estimated to be the largest protest in Romania in the past 25 years.

150,000 protesters were estimated in Bucharest around 10 p.m. 35,000 rallied in Cluj Napoca, 20,000 in Sibiu and 20,000 in Timisora, 10,000 in Iasi. 8,000 took to the streets in Brasov, 6,000 in Bacau, another 6,000 in Targu Mures, 5,000 in Constanta and 3,000 in Ploiesti.

Protests were also reported abroad, with Romanians from Diaspora staging rallies in London and Brussels.

The Romania Journal

In Bucharest, age had no limits. Children with their parents, students up to old aged were gradually joining the rally. Former PSD member Aurelia Cristea was also seen in the crowd.

Solidarity was in the air, with people sharing hot soup and tea to the protesters, who were chanting: “At night like thieves!”,“In jail!”, “Thieves!”, “Down with the criminals!”, “Kovesi, don’t forget, we are by your side!”, “ Don’t bask, PSD is stealing from you!”, “Next question: When is the abrogation?”, “Down with the communist Government“, “DNA should come and take you“, “Prison is ruling Romania“, “Abrogate and leave“, etc.

Traffic on the streets in the Government’ area was paralyzed, while access to the tube station entrances was blocked.

Our reporter on the scene said that gendarmes wearing fight outfits (see the picture below) were deployed in front of the Government in the first hours of the evening, but they were gradually replaced by gendarmes wearing their usual blue regimentals. However, their number has increased in front of the Gov’t HQs.

Photo credit: The Romania Journal

 

Later in the night before midnight, a small group of protesters, seen as agitators, started throwing objects and firecrackers at the gendarmes, while lighting torches, somewhere on Iancu de Hunedoara Boulevard.

The crowd booed, in protest for their violent actions. Gendarmes replied with tear gas. Initially the Gendarmerie advised protesters to leave the protest area for safety reason, but later on suggested that peaceful protesters should distance themselves form the violent ones. A gendarme was injured in the clash.

The Capital Gendarmerie informed at the end of the protess that 20 persons have been detained and taken to police stations for hearings. They seized their bottle bombs, firecrackers and torches intended to be used against gendarmes.

Five persons injured in the incidents in Victoria Square were taken to hospital on Wednesday night, Interior Ministry (MAI) Secretary of State Raed Arafat said

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