The plenary session in Parliament has stretched into a political marathon, while tension outside the building has not eased. Protesters have returned near Parliament, and police have set up a security cordon to block them from approaching the entrances.
Regrouping outside Parliament
While lawmakers continue the session inside the chamber, another gathering of protesters has been seen outside Parliament. The perimeter of the building and its entrances are being kept under control by police forces, which have increased their presence on the ground.
The protesters’ movement comes after tensions recorded earlier in the day, in a politically charged atmosphere and with strong security measures around Parliament.
Clashes and use of spray and gas
Clashes between protesters and police officers were recorded during the protest. According to reports from the scene, police used spray and tear gas to disperse the crowd and maintain the cordon.
The official version presents the intervention as a measure to preserve order, but on the ground tensions had appeared from the start of the session, when the first physical contact between demonstrators and police was recorded.
Attempt to break through the cordon
At several moments, protesters physically pushed police officers in an attempt to get closer to Parliament’s entrances. This brought an immediate response from officers, who kept access to the building closed.
Protesters also blocked road axes near the area, worsening the situation at one of the capital’s most sensitive points.
Two groups in the protest and intervention by PD lawmakers
Also present at the morning gathering were the protesters who for more than four months have been taking to the boulevard every evening, but this time as a separate group from the PD protesters.
At one point, several PD lawmakers entered into negotiations with the police, asking that protesters be allowed to continue with their plan. During the protest, an incident was also recorded between two people in the crowd, where a man was seen slapping a young man.
The scene around Parliament remains tense, with the session continuing inside and the confrontation between the protest and the police cordon playing out outside Parliament’s doors.
Beyond public-order justifications, the use of force and the management of the protest once again remain at the center of questions about how institutions respond to political gatherings.