S.Lowenia’s police repeatedly used tear gas and water cannons on Tuesday against thousands of demonstrators who took to the streets in the capital Ljubljana against corona measures. Demonstrators had surrounded the car of a foreign delegation in a square closed by the police, as reported by the Slovenian public news agency STA, citing the police. The EU’s Western Balkans Summit with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen begins on Wednesday in nearby Brdo pri Kranj.
The rally participants reportedly tried to approach a hotel that housed some of the EU summit delegations, but were prevented from doing so by the police. Several demonstrators were arrested, including rapper Zoran Stevanovic, president of the small protest party Resni.ca.
Attacks on journalists
As the STA further reported, journalists were insulted, threatened and pushed away during the protests. At the TV station “N1”, demonstrators smashed a glass door at the entrance to the station building. A broadcast had to be interrupted because tear gas penetrated the studios. Slovenia’s Association of Journalists called on the police to ensure the reporters’ safety.
Because of the announced protests before the EU summit, the Slovenian government had ordered the police to block parts of Ljubljana, Brdo pri Kranju and the town of Bled.
With a 14-day incidence of 627 new infections with the corona virus, Slovenia is a high-risk area for corona in Germany.
.