Slovenian police disperse violent Covid protest with water cannon

Belgrade, Nov. 6, (dpa/GNA) – Slovenian police used water cannon on Thursday night to disperse a violent demonstration of groups protesting against the government and coronavirus restrictions, the STA news agency reported.

Clashes broke out in front of the national parliament building in the late afternoon as protesters led by leftist groups hurled granite cobbles and flares at riot police.

It was the country’s first use of water cannon since Ljubljana riots against corruption in 2012, according to the report.

Earlier on Thursday, conservative Prime Minister Janez Jansa’s cabinet extended the country’s existing lockdown by another 10 days. That had been expected as the country continues to struggle with a high coronavirus infection rate.

Jansa backed the police and promised that perpetrators of violence would be prosecuted.

“Peaceful protests when there is no epidemic and danger of infection are a constitutional right,” he tweeted. “Physical violence and attacking police officers are always a criminal act and will be punished.”

The situation became calmer by the late evening. At least three people, among them one police officer, were injured in the scuffles.

Some of the groups behind the protest ignored health protocols and urged people to take off their masks.

Under the lockdown rules, public gatherings are limited to six people only. At the protest, there were several hundred.

GNA