Thousands Gather in Sofia in Support of Socialists, Rally Is Peaceful

Many people have arrived from all over the country Saturday to attend the partisan rally staged by the Bulgarian Socialist Party, photo OffNews

Thousands of people have already gathered at the Eagles' Bridge intersection in downtown Bulgarian capital Sofia in the partisan rally staged by the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP).

People are waving flags and shouting "Yes to Freedom, No to Hatred," which is the motto of the rally.

The public radio, BNR, reports that the rally is peaceful and none of the expected clashes and altercations has occurred so far.

The fears of violence were prompted by the fact that the fan clubs of Sofia's top football teams "Levski" and CSKA were going to stage their own rally at the same time and the same place before the start of the eternal derby at 3 pm.

However, huge unprecedented deployment of riot police is keeping the rallies separate and diverting and redirecting groups from the two rallies.

The protesting university students announced earlier Saturday that they will remain inside the Sofia University main campus, which they have occupied with demands for the resignation of the Socialist-led government, and will not stage any rallies in order to prevent provocations.

The main Sofia thoroughfare "Tsarigradsko Shosse" and Eagles' Bridge are closed for traffic, including for public transportation vehicles and the entire downtown is on lockdown by riot police

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