71 Detained After Sofia Protest, Large Cash Found Among Suspected Agitators

The Sofia Directorate of the Interior (SDVR) confirmed that 71 individuals were detained following the protests in front of the National Assembly on the evening of November 27, 2025. Police intercepted participants through 21 checkpoints, discovering numerous prohibited items, including a gas pistol loaded with a cartridge. Despite these tensions, the protest itself proceeded largely peacefully, with both citizens and law enforcement managing the crowd without escalation, SDVR Director Lyubomir Nikolov said at a special briefing.

Operational teams were deployed to monitor those exhibiting signs of hooliganism or provocative behavior. According to Nikolov, the protest organizers failed to inform authorities about such individuals, which contributed to the eventual escalation. The disturbances intensified when an unannounced procession approached the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) headquarters, entering areas that had not been cleared of hazardous items. Protesters targeted officers, throwing objects and causing property damage.

Among the detained was Bozhidar Bobokov, the 19-year-old son of a prominent businessman from Ruse, who allegedly coordinated a group and set fire to a trash can. Another detainee was found carrying 31,000 leva (approximately €15,800), divided into smaller denominations and marked with street names, which SDVR officials believe were intended to fund provocations during the protest. Three police officers were injured, although only minor injuries were reported. Nikolov stressed that despite provocations, the police did not escalate the violence, maintaining restraint throughout the incident.

National security expert Assoc. Prof. Milen Ivanov noted that the protests demonstrated a highly organized pattern of provocations, likened to crowd management tactics observed in Hong Kong. Individuals signaling with whistles coordinated small groups to break away and target property or officers. Ivanov criticized the police for not separating provocateurs from peaceful demonstrators, highlighting gaps in operational planning and training. He also questioned the unusual power outage in central Sofia, noting that if intentional, the incident could constitute sabotage under the purview of the State Agency for National Security (SANS).

The SDVR emphasized that the escalation was premeditated, with provocateurs using the blackout to intensify attacks on law enforcement and property. While operational teams monitored suspicious individuals, the combination of unanticipated movements and the failure of organizers to report agitators allowed the unrest to develop. Fire brigade teams are currently examining the Rila substation to determine whether the outage was accidental or deliberate.