LIVE: Injured and arrested at the protest against the BFS, the police use a water cannon – Around the world and in our country

The match Bulgaria – Hungary started at 19:00 at the national stadium “Vasil Levski” in front of empty stands. At 5:00 p.m., the protest of the Bulgarian fans, who demand the resignation of the leadership of the Bulgarian Football Union, began. Shortly after 6:20 p.m., tensions escalated.

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Shortly after 6:20 p.m., tensions escalated. Ultras, most of them with masks on their faces, started throwing various objects, stones, bombs and incendiary rockets at the policemen, who were stationed in front of the National Stadium on “Gurko” Street. The gendarmerie called on the fans several times with a megaphone to calm down, but this did not happen and the uniformed officers used a water cannon to stop the excesses, reported BNT reporters Martin Goshev and Rosen Stanchev.

Law enforcement also used pepper spray to try to contain the situation. In turn, the fans began to tear up cobblestones and anti-parking pegs and throw them at the police.

Traffic is closed on Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd. from Evlogi and Hristo Georgievi Blvd. to Vasil Levski Blvd. and on Evlogi and Hristo Georgievi Blvd. from Orlov Bridge to Graf Ignatiev St.

There are detainees and injured. Among the victims is a woman who cannot see because she was gassed, as well as people with head injuries.

The gathered fans set buckets on fire, throw pegs and cobblestones at the law enforcement officers.

Several fires are burning in the area, there are fire trucks on the scene, as well as several ambulances with sirens on. Shop windows were broken.

After more than an hour of excesses, the situation calmed down around 19:30.

A total of 12 people were injured. According to initial information, two or three of the victims have more serious injuries, reports BTA, referring to information from the Center for Emergency Medical Assistance in Sofia.

In an interview with BNT, the mayor of Sofia, Vasil Terziev, expressed regret that the protests of the fans, who want the resignation of the leadership of the Bulgarian Football Union, have escalated.

See more in the direct involvement of Martin Goshev.

Photos: Desislava Kulelieva