Police, demonstrators injured during riot in southern KM

Police, demonstrators injured during riot in southern KM

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA -- During Sunday's protests and clashes in the southern part of Kosovska Mitrovica near the main bridge, 13 policemen and six demonstrators were injured.

Two journalists were also hurt, while four official vehicles were torched, and so far five persons have been arrested, Albanian language media from Priština are reporting.

Ethnic Albanians organized the protest in the southern part of the divided town over what Serbs in the northern part refer to as Peace Park built in place of a barricade removed from the bridge last week.

Spokesman for the Kosovo police Avni Zahiti confirmed that five persons were arrested, and said that two police vehicles, along with one belonging to EULEX and KFOR each were burned down by rioters.

Local Serbs gathered to watch the developments across the bridge during Sunday afternoon, but left by the evening.

Previously, ethnic Albanians gathered around 15:00 CET near the bridge, shouting "UCK" in reference to the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army, and carrying Albanian and American flags, to a while later clash with a cordon of police securing the protest.

The protesters thew stones at the Kosovo police members and KFOR troops who responded with tear gas and stun grenades. Later on, EULEX police also used tear gas.

In Priština, the Kosovo government urged citizens to exercise restraint, with the assurance that "the new barricade" on the Ibar would be quickly removed.

A statement called on the EU to increase engagement in the implementation of the Brussels agreement so that the barrier to free movement is removed as soon as possible, and added:

"We...