AUR denies involvement in Piața Victoriei violence: two arrested men no longer members
AUR rejects any connection with two men arrested after violent protest in Piața Victoriei. Both had previously appeared as candidates on the party's lists for local councils.
AUR rejects link with violent protesters arrested after Piața Victoriei incidents
The Alliance for the Union of Romanians denies any involvement in last week's violence in Piața Victoriei, according to Cotidianul.ro. In a press statement, party representatives claim that the two persons arrested on remand are not AUR members and did not act at the instigation of the party.
"We categorically deny that the two persons arrested on remand after last week's protest are AUR members, that they were brought by AUR to the demonstration, or that they acted at the party's instigation. AUR did not instigate violence, and our message was a clear one: peaceful protest," the statement says, cited by Antena 3 CNN.
The party also accuses the prosecutors investigating the violence of seeking artificially to construct political blame. According to AUR, the investigators ask protesters being questioned whether they have links with the party and with George Simion.
"We call on prosecutors and the state's law enforcement institutions to cease this orchestrated plan and any attempt to artificially construct political blame for AUR and George Simion. Whoever committed violence must answer individually before the law, but the investigation cannot be transformed into an instrument for fabricating a link with the main opposition party," the party leadership states.
The reaction comes after prosecutors and police conducted searches in 15 counties across the country on Tuesday. Following these, Valentin Stoica and Auraș Andone were detained and subsequently arrested on remand.
According to investigators, the two caused destruction in Piața Victoriei and threw protective barriers towards gendarmes. Valentin Stoica appeared on AUR's lists for the position of local councillor in Călărași municipality. Auraș Andone ran as a candidate from AUR for a local councillor post in Ulmu commune in Brăila county.
Andone is being investigated for destruction, disturbing public order and peace, and direct participation in an attack on a Gendarmerie vehicle.
Source: Cotidianul.ro