Dozens injured in Belgrade in unrest against Covid-19 curfew

Belgrade, Jul 8 (efe-epa).- Dozens of police and protesters were injured in Belgrade during riots after new coronavirus restrictions were announced.

Around 60 people were injured, including 43 police officers, in violent clashes that started on Tuesday and continued the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Police director Vladimir Rebic told television station RTS that 23 people have been detained in relation to the unrest, during which a group of activists broke into Serbia’s parliament building.

Right-wing politician and former MP Srdjan Nogo was among those detained for allegedly organizing the group which stormed parliament, according to Rebic.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Tuesday that a weekend curfew would be imposed in Belgrade from 6pm local time on Friday until 5am on Monday due to a spike of Covid-19 infections.

Meetings of more than five people were also banned from Wednesday in the capital, home to around 1.7 million people.

The move prompted peaceful protests in the city the same day, which turned into violent clashes with riot police firing tear gas to disperse demonstrators.

Shortly after the announcement thousands of people took to the streets to express their opposition to the measures.

The worst riots unfolded between 10.30pm and 12.30am GMT with one group of protestors broke into parliament.

They were evicted by police with officers firing tear gas after the group repeatedly tried to storm the building again.