Ciprian Ciucu says that the Gendarmerie and the Ministry of Internal Affairs are responsible for public safety following the violence at the shepherds’ protest in Victory Square

Bucharest General Mayor Ciprian Ciucu said on Wednesday that responsibility for public safety and intervention in the event of violent protests lies with the Gendarmerie, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the other competent institutions. He made the remarks after Tuesday’s incidents in Victory Square, where an unauthorized protest by sheep and goat farmers escalated into clashes with law enforcement forces.

Ciucu said he was not in a position to operationally assess the Gendarmerie’s intervention, but condemned the violence and noted that a gendarme had been seriously injured. He said the Local Police supported the deployment coordinated by the Gendarmerie, without City Hall determining the manner of intervention or the positioning of personnel.

The mayor stressed that peaceful protest is a civic right and explained that public gatherings are reviewed by an interinstitutional committee, rather than being authorized exclusively by Bucharest City Hall. He indicated that the demonstration may have been hijacked and that verifying this possibility is the responsibility of the public order and safety institutions.

City Hall will assess the damage caused in Victory Square and file a complaint to recover the losses. Following the protest, ten gendarmes were injured, 47 people were taken to police stations, and six were detained. The authorities opened three criminal cases.