Romania

Dozens injured as 2,000 farmers – backed by far-right groups – protest the extension of a livestock export ban.

Riot police have clashed with Romanian shepherds and farmers as they rioted during a protest against a ban on livestock exports due to disease.

About 2,000 people gathered to demonstrate in the capital, Bucharest, on Tuesday against the extension of a live sheep export ban, imposed by the European Union due to the highly contagious small ruminant plague. As in other protests by farmers across Europe in recent years, the rally was encouraged and supported by far-right forces.

Violence broke out in front of the Romanian government building in Bucharest when some protesters demanding the reversal of the ban began throwing rocks, metal barriers and other objects at law enforcement.

Police responded with tear gas in a bid to disperse them. Twenty-six people were detained, riot police said in a press release.

Twenty-four demonstrators and police officers required medical attention – some for broken bones, others for the effects of the tear gas. Four were hospitalised.

The government and the opposition called on the demonstrators to refrain from violence.

The demonstration was called by farmers and shepherd groups. Protesters held banners calling on the country’s president and prime minister to resign.

Some chanted the name of far-right politician Calin Georgescu, a former presidential candidate who is standing trial for acts against the constitutional order following the annulment of the presidential elections in 2024.

Supporters of Georgescu had shared messages on social media ahead of the protest, asking people to join.

George Simion, the leader of the main far-right group in the country, the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), wrote on Facebook that “AUR stands with the farmers and all working Romanians”, but called on protesters to demonstrate peacefully.

‘Legitimate protest to street fighting’

The Romanian government said in a press release that the protest had “degenerated into regrettable acts of violence” and called for “calm”.

President Nicusor Dan condemned the “extremely serious” violence and “any attempt to turn a legitimate protest into street fighting” in a social media post.

Romanian shepherds had protested outside the government building at the end of July over the EU ban on live sheep exports, which expires at the end of 2026.

The country of 19 million people has been struggling for months with the highest inflation in the EU and a political crisis with no end in sight.

The pro-European government, which adopted austerity measures to rein in a high budget deficit, was brought down in a no-confidence motion in May, and a divided parliament has failed to confirm a successor.

Sept. 4 (UPI) — Embattled influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate faced new charges in Romania related to trafficking and sexual acts with a minor, prosecutors said Friday.

Andrew, 39, was indicted for the alleged sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old girl that the brothers moved from Britain to Romania. Tristan, 38, was charged with complicity and attempted obstruction of justice.

Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism said in a statement the charges also include money laundering and pornography involving a minor.

The brothers are accused of luring a 15-year-old girl from Britain and coercing her into producing pornographic content through physical violence and psychological manipulation.

Prosecutors said the brothers used emotional blackmail, threats, physical aggression and constant surveillance to control the victim and make her produce sexual video chats to sell online.

They earned more than $1.25 million by selling the child pornography content, prosecutors said.

A Romanian lawyer for the brothers, Eugen Constantin Vidineac, denied the allegations.

“We will examine every aspect of it with the same level of scrutiny and we will challenge any evidential, procedural or legal deficiencies through the appropriate judicial process,” the lawyer told Newsweek.

“Our clients continue to reject the allegations against them,” he added. “They have the right to the presumption of innocence, the right to properly examine the evidence relied upon against them and the right to mount an effective defense.”

The new charges come as the brothers sit in a U.S. jail while they fight extradition to Britain, where they were charged in July with rape, human trafficking and child pornography.

The Tate brothers, who hold dual British-American citizenship, have twice been charged with sex crimes in each Romania and Britain.

They are former kickboxers with millions of followers on social media.

A federal judge in Miami is yet to make a ruling on the Britain’s request for extradition after the brothers appeared in court on Aug. 27.