Law enforcement issues fines of over 400,000 lei to Monday's protesters over COVID-19 restrictions

Law enforcement provided law and order for the participants in the protests over COVID-19 restrictions that took place on Monday in 70 towns and cities, having issued 650 fines in excess of 400,000 to organisers and participants alike for several violations of applicable law. According to a press statement released by the Gendarmerie on Tuesday, the fines were issued mainly for failure to inform about demonstrations taking place during the curfew, when regulations provide for traffic restrictions and allow travel outside home for strictly regulated reasons, as well as for failure to follow health protection measures against COVID-19. In 38 of the 70 towns and cities where the public demonstrations took place, the maximum number of participants provided by law - 100 people - was exceeded. In Bucharest, following the intervention for the restoration of public peace, 188 people were taken to police stations, where investigations were carried out into the commission of outrage, public disturbance, destruction, arson, aggravated theft, failure to comply with weapons and ammunition regulation, and criminal possession of a knife. At the same time, instances were reported of aggression against police officers by the use of fire crackers, street furniture items, bottles, pieces of asphalt and stones that left 12 gendarmes injured and six utility vehicles damaged, according to the press statement. Similar instances were also recorded during the protests in Drobeta-Turnu Severin and Galati, where demonstrators became aggressive toward the riot police, as well as in Braila, where demonstrators, who will be held criminally liable, tried to knock down a road sign. AGERPRES (RO - author: Sorinel Penea, editor: Claudia Stanescu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)