Bulgaria, Radnevo – Following a villainous assault of three Bulgarians by four Roma which resulted in the stabbing of an ethnic Bulgarian. He had been rushed to the hospital in a critical condition. More than 2,000 people demonstrated to show their anger and clashed with the police at Radnevo.
Monday, May 2, four Roma men attacked three young Bulgarian men, beat them, and eventually stabbed one of them, who was admitted to hospital in serious condition. This crime has angered many Bulgarians who have been Wednesday, May 4, 2,000 to go to the small town of Radnevo, in the southeast of the country to demonstrate their anger. According to residents of the city, this crime is in addition to many others done by the Roma community, and by one family in particular, who too often go unpunished or are treated with too much laxity.
The police created a cordon to protect the entrance of the Roma neighborhood to prevent the demonstrators from entering it. It led to some clashes with the police, that caused 3 injured police officers and 4 among the demonstrators. According to the mayor of the town, the demonstrators are mainly football supporters. The Interior Minister Rumyana Bachvarova said that “provocateurs” were part of the crowd. Following the arrival of the demonstrators, a number of Roma left the village. Since then, the protests continue with locals who are holding the mayor to account, and require that the law shall be applied regarding water and electricity stealing, and ask for the destruction of some illegal buildings.
These events echo the nation-wide demonstrations events of 2011, which took place after the killing of a young Bulgarian by a Roma in Katunitsa.
