Supporters of Bulgaria’s far-right Rebirth (Vazrazhdane) party tried to storm the country’s parliament building during a protest against COVID-19 restrictions. An estimated 1,000 people took part in the rally on January 12 in downtown Sofia that turned into a clash with police. Hundreds of law enforcement officers were deployed. They finally stopped the protesters when they reached the parliament’s entrance. The Rebirth party leader, lawmaker Kostadin Kostadinov, addressed the rally in a video message from quarantine at home. Bulgaria, an EU member, has one of the highest COVID-19 death rates in the world.
