ZAGREB, Sept 11 (Hina) - Six dismissed policemen were continuing a protest inside the sacristy of St Mark's church in Zagreb on Wednesday afternoon despite the last night's police action and decision to stop the protest rally, which
had been held by laid-off police officers in front of the Croatian government's building for a few months.
ZAGREB, Sept 11 (Hina) - Six dismissed policemen were continuing a
protest inside the sacristy of St Mark's church in Zagreb on
Wednesday afternoon despite the last night's police action and
decision to stop the protest rally, which had been held by laid-off
police officers in front of the Croatian government's building for
a few months. #L#
The six protesters said they would not leave the sacristy until
their re-employment in police.
Shortly after Tuesday's midnight, and following the action of the
intervention police, they took shelter in the church and since then
the church has been occupied by the police.
After the apprehension of one of organisers of the protest, Filip
Lacic, shortly after noon Wednesday, the main entrance to the
church has been free. Prior to the operation it was cordoned.
In St Mark's square it was calm on Wednesday afternoon. Members of a
Christian prayer group "Mir (Peace)" joined the protesters.
At around 11 p.m. Tuesday intervention police disrupted the
dismissed policemen's protest at St. Mark's Square, downtown
Zagreb, after incidents caused by two protesters.
One of them, Zeljko Spolodor, 29, refused to move his vehicle from
the square during yesterday's meeting between Croatian and Slovene
prime ministers at around 11 a.m. He also insulted police officers
who used force to get him out of the vehicle. He has been charged for
misdemeanour.
Another protester, Zvonko Lovrencic, 43, threw eggs and yoghurt at
Prime Minister Ivica Racan, but missed, and was charged with
endangering the prime minister's safety.
The incidents were the reason for the order to stop the protest
rally.
On Wednesday afternoon Lovrencic addressed reporters in the
square. He said that he "generously presented" Premier Racan with
two eggs and one yoghurt, while he was presented with a record from
his interrogation by police.
Lovrencic said his act was his expression of protest over the
situation of dismissed policemen and the act of "a citizen provoked
by the current government's conduct."
After being reminded by reporters that other protesters distanced
themselves from his act, Loverencic said it was fair.
The protesters also distanced themselves from Lovrencic, the
retired policeman, this July when the police found an arsenal of
arms in his house in Sesvete.
The head of the Victimological Society, Zvonimir Separovic,
expressed indignation at the use of, as he said, brutal force
against people and citizens of Croatia who deserved credit.
The leader of the Croatian Christian Democratic Union (HKDU) Anto
Kovacevic said he arrived at the square to express his sympathy with
Lacic and other protesters who, as he said, insisted only on their
basic human rights.
(hina) ms