RALLY BREAKS POLICE CORDON BUT FAILS TO REACH MAIN SQUARE

( Editorial: --> 3504 ) ZAGREB, Feb 20 (Hina) - A rally protesting the difficult economic and social situation in Croatia did not begin at the planned time of 4pm Friday in Zagreb's central city square. The streets accessing Ban Jelacic Square were crowded with protesters who, despite the strong presence of police forces, were trying to get to the square. Shortly before 4pm several thousand protesters broke through a police cordon blocking one street leading to the square. Several hundred metres closer to the square, the crowd was stopped by another cordon which as well as regular police included members of the special police. Prior to that, several hundred protesters broke the first cordon at the head of a street leading to the square. The police prevented passage without using force, but had to give in under the force of the crowd. Among those who broke through were Croatian Peasants' Party president Zlatko Tomcic, Istrian Democratic Party president Ivan Jakovcic, and Croatian Helsinki Committee chairman Ivan Zvonimr Cicak. Before this breakthrough occurred, Tomcic talked to Croatian Interior Minister Ivan Penic. Tomcic told Hina that protesters had decided to break the cordon following Penic's refusal to let them reach Ban Jelacic square. One of the union leaders who organised the rally, Niko Gunjina, said that if protesters failed to access the main square by 5pm, the organisers had an alternative location. He refused to specify. Only a small group of people was in the main square, as special police used physical obstacles and vehicles to block access. The Croatian Helsinki Committee (HHO) requested that Zagreb Mayor Marina Matulovic-Dropulic reconsider the decision banning the rally from taking place on Ban Jelacic Square. The main argument for the decision was ensuring regular traffic across the square, but according to the HHO, traffic had been stopped long before the protesters reached the square. The HHO also claimed that its monitors noticed a large number of military police patrols in Zagreb. In a letter to Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, the HHO demanded that the President, in line with his competence, order that patrols be called back to the barracks. A large number of policemen blocked all access to Ban Jelacic Square shortly after 2.30pm. Tram traffic across the square was discontinued. According to Rally Preparation Committee chairman Boris Kunst, police redirected buses with protesters towards Maksimir Park in the east of the capital. Shortly after noon, many buses with policemen from other parts of Croatia were spotted in streets surrounding the main square, alongside jeeps and personnel carriers with regular and special police. Stronger police patrols were also on roads entering Zagreb. The Rally Preparation Committee reported that all possible measures would be taken to prevent force from being used, and disturbances and the insulting of police from occurring. (hina) ha jn 201816 MET feb 98