Chaos in Bucharest as rioters storm Romanian capital

Romania entered the third day of protests which broke out violent Sunday evening in capital Bucharest. There were reported violent conflicts between protesters and police (scroll down for video, photos).

This article is a translation from Romanian newspaper website “Ziare.com”

Protesters in University Square forced the safety cords and threw firing bottles, pieces of rocks between fences and protesters. Two journalists caught fire and several people were injured in the rain of stones. Two women fainted, and one policeman suffered a head injury.

Romanian riot police strongly intervened with tear gas. The law enforcement forces had to regroup in order to prevent another attack and warned the 2000 protesters to leave the riot area. Several young men were detained and stuffed into the vans of the police.

The Romanian turmoil is covered by different television channels like “Pro tv”, “Antena 3”, “Realitatea TV” or “Antena 1”. They are broadcasting live from across the capital city.

These protests turned out to be an ideal occassion for dozens hooligans who improvised barricades and set several fires near “Unirii” metro station. The aggressors set a shop in the center of the capital on fire and overthrew newsstands. The attacks on policemen went on even more violently. Agitators used torches, firecrackers and hurled stones. Meanwhile, the rally at the University Square went on peacefully.

Romania’s revolts stemmed from a scandal related to the resignation of Raed Arafat, the Secretary of State for Health who quit the executive after having conflicting opinions with the government members over the healthcare reform. The protests, aimed at supporting Raed Arafat, were initiated on the social network Facebook.

The demonstrations organized over the weekend and directed against President Traian Basescu were held also in other cities across the country such as Galati, Alba Iulia, Sibiu, Iasi, Brasov, Timisoara, Bacau, Vaslui, Piatra Neamt, Ploiesti, Pitesti, Arad, Hunedoara, Resita, Slobozia, Craiova , Deva, Turnu Severin, Satu Mare, Braila and Focsani.

Hooligans destroyed a shop of a mobile phone company downtown Bucharest and stole more goods. They also vandalized a house pawn.

Protesters who intended to go home, had to avoid the Union Square (Piata Unirii) as the place was protected by groups of gendarmes who forbade anyone’s access into the respective area.

– The gendarmes are surrounded: hooligans regrouped in front of the Law Court, along Calea Calarasi (boulevard) and Tineretului zone.

– “Tonight, I can confirm that 25 people have been taken to the police station. […] Following the incidents in the University Square, two gendarmes needed medical care,” said a spokesman for the Gendarmerie Bucharest, Georgian Enache, in a telephone intervention on Antena 3 TV station.

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– A fire at the “Unirii” square was put out and gendarmes took partially over the square.

– The Prefect of Bucharest, Cristian Atanasoaei, said the gendarmerie did not request an forceful intervention in the University Square on Sunday evening. Atanasoaie stressed however that if protesters will attack the police, then the law forces no longer need the approval of the prefect to retaliate.

– The leader of “Steaua Bucharest” supporters denied on Antena 3, any involvement in violent protests. “Fans go to the stadium, not to fight in the streets,” said Dorin Taban.

– The RATB bus stations between University and Union Squares were devastated.

– Protests continue, peacefully, at University Square. People chanted slogans against president Traian Basescu and Boc Government. Many rioters shout “Jos Basescu” ( “Down with Basescu”) or “Demisia” (“Resignation”) or “Iesi afara, javra ordinara”(“Come outside, ordinary dog”).

Ziare.com presented live the latest events as they happened in the events of Bucharest.

– PSD deputy Cristian Rizea requires urgently the dismissal of the Prefect of Bucharest, Michael Atanasoaei for abuse of the Romanian Gendarmerie on the demonstrators who protested in the last three days in Bucharest, writes Ziare.com.

– Agitators set fire to a car which was parked in central Bucharest.

Journalists from Antena 3 were beaten by the hooligans. A reporter has a broken head, and another operator was beaten with a chain.

“They knew that we are journalists. They saw us holding microphone in hand. We are glad to have escaped. Also the operator was hit. We were caught in the crowd, we were punched. I was struck in the eye,” said the journalist.
Amateur video: Riots in the streets of Bucharest (15 January 2012)