site.btaBulgarians, Palestinians Hold Peaceful Demonstration of Solidarity with Gaza Civilians

After Sofia City Hall banned a pro-Palestinian march planned for Friday afternoon, dozens people nevertheless gathered in front of the National Palace of Culture to express solidarity with the peaceful civilians in Gaza.

bTV reported that the ralliers had reached an agreement with the local authority to give up the idea of a march and instead hold "a peaceful demonstration of Palestinians and Bulgarians". Women, men and children carried placards calling for an end to the Israeli occupation.

Earlier on Friday, Sofia Municipality Mayor Yordanka Fandakova banned a march organized by the Committee for the Defence of Jerusalem, City Hall told BTA. The order was issued pursuant to the Gatherings, Rallies and Demonstration Act on the basis of opinions of the State Agency for National Security (SANS) and the Metropolitan Directorate to the Interior.

The march was planned to take place between 4:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on October 13, 2023, starting from the square in front of the National Palace of Culture and proceeding along Vitosha and Knyaz Dondukov Blvd. and reaching the President's Administration.

The Metropolitan Directorate of the Interior told BTA that they have information that such an event was being organized and will protect public order.

Also on Friday, the prosecution service recalled that any call for radical action and violence and any conduct of irregular actions violates the Constitution and the laws of the land. The press release was prompted by ever more frequent instances of hate speech and calls for radical action. "The local government authorities, jointly with the Interior Ministry, should not tolerate any massive displays that would occasion any calls for violence, radical actions and justification of terrorist acts and war crimes," the prosecution service said.