Protesters clash with police during anti-government rally - Bulgaria

01/13

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Riot police running to to keep the demonstrators off the Tsarigradsko Shose, one of the main thoroughfares in the Bulgarian capital Sofia. The billboard in the background says 'All Your Friends Are Here'.

02/13

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Mounted poiceman looking at a protest sign during the anti-government rally on Sofia's Tsarigradsko Shose. About half a dozen police on horses tried to push the demonstrators off the street to clear it for traffic. Their success was limited though.

03/13

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Bulgarian riot poice trying to push a crowd of demonstrators off a main street in Sofia. Some of the protesters were knocked around a bit and at least one was detained.

04/13

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Woman shouting during the anti-government rally near the center of Sofia. Demonstrators rally against a change in the Forestry Act, introduced by the ruling GERB party that would make it easier to build ski tracks.

05/13

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Riot police and photographers following the movements of the demonstrators. The organizers of the anti-government demonstration in Sofia had vowed to block one of the main traffic routes.

06/13

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Demonstrator mocking a policeman in full riot gear. Some of the demonstrators were seeking a confrontation with the police who reacted with pushes and a few knocks with their shields.

07/13

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Police cordon blocking the access to one of the main thoroughfares in Sofia for the demonstrators. About 20 minutes into the rally the protesters broke through and created a major traffic chaos.

08/13

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Environmentalists demonstrating against the new Bulgarian Forestry Act. The protesters created a human chain on one of Sofia’s main traffic ways and blocked it.

09/13

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Policeman in full riot gear and smiling demonstrator during the anti-government rally in Sofia. Thousands protested the change in the Bulgarian Forestry Act that allows cutting down trees without changing the status of the land first.

10/13

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Environmentalists blocking a main street in Bulgaria's capital Sofia during an anti-government demonstration. The protesters demand a presidential veto to block the new Forestry Act which would make construction projects in the mountains easier.

11/13

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Hundreds of demonstrators break through the police lines that were supposed to keep them off one of Sofia’s main streets. One of the city’s major traffic routes was blocked for about an hour as a consequence.

12/13

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Demonstrators shouting slogans against the police, demanding no violence after the officers detained a protester who had breached a police cordon.

13/13

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Young child holding a flower during the anti-government demonstration in Sofia. Demonstrators demand a presidential veto to block a change in the Bulgarian Forestry Act.

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For the second day in a row thousands are rallying in the Bulgarian capital Sofia to protest a change to the Forestry Act, which would allow building of ski tracks and lifts on Bulgarian mountains without changing the status of the land first.