Protesters gathered in front of the Interior Ministry's building in downtown Sofia on Sunday evening. The protest was organized on social media over the recent incidents with foreigners in the capital.
The head of the Sofia Directorate of Interior, Chief Commissioner Lyubomir Nikolov, told reporters that no escalation of tension is expected because there has been no aggression either from the protesters or the police. The protesters' actions have been in compliance with the law thus far, he added.
The last days saw two or three purely criminal incidents, the likes of which happen quite often in Sofia, he commented further. In the first incident, Bulgarian nationals and persons with a migrant profile got into a fight over a girl on Vitosha Boulevard. The victims have been established, though they have not submitted an official alert to the Sofia Directorate of Interior; part of the perpetrators have been identified.
The second incident occurred two days later, again on Vitosha Boulevard, between persons of Syrian origin and Bulgarians. That was a case of theft, the Chief Commissioner explained. Four persons have been detained.
Earlier in the day, outgoing Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov said on Facebook that persons involved in two incidents in downtown Sofia had been arrested. He said there was compelling evidence against racial motivation for the incidents, footage of which was posted on social media. Stoyanov said the incidents should not be used for political purposes through claims that they were based on race.
On Saturday night, more than 100 persons were arrested in a police operation in Sofia. Police presence was strengthened in several districts in the capital. The Interior Ministry has increased police presence in the areas of refugee centres to provide peace of mind to local residents.
/DS/
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