Călin Georgescu supporters protest day and night outside Bucharest detention center

Several hundred supporters of far-right, pro-Russian Romanian politician and former presidential candidate, Călin Georgescu, have been protesting for five days in front of the Central Detention Center in Bucharest, where he is held.

Organizing through social media, Georgescu’s supporters have occupied the sidewalks and small parks in the area, chanting in favor of the politician accused of fraud, calling for his release.

The area is being closely monitored by gendarmes and police officers.

Those living in the nearby apartment buildings, however, have been complaining that they have had no peace since Georgescu was taken into custody. Students at the nearby college have also been affected.

“Colleagues from the Bucharest Gendarmerie have taken the necessary measures to maintain a safe environment, manage the flow of people and, very importantly, keep access routes clear, given that we are talking about a residential area. People who live there and who must be able to reach their homes, move around under normal conditions, and not have their daily lives affected,” said Police Chief Ramona Dabija, cited by TVRInfo.

Overall, police issued 98 fines worth roughly RON 84,500 to those who broke laws during the protest.

During their stay in front of the detention center, on Saturday, October 3, supporters of the former presidential candidate lit candles forming the initials of journalist Cristian Tudor Popescu, a staunch critic of the politician. They began singing “Eternal Memory,” usually sung for the deceased, and a video showed a woman accusing the journalist of “wanting Mr. Călin Georgescu dead.”

In reaction, Romanian president Nicușor Dan said that the incident was “unacceptable.”

“I consider the gestures directed against journalist Cristian Tudor Popescu and any attempt to turn a political disagreement into a tool of intimidation unacceptable. No journalist should ever become the target of threats, harassment or violence because of the opinions they express,” Nicușor Dan wrote on his Facebook page.

Călin Georgescu is accused of fraud with particularly serious consequences and of forming an organized criminal group. According to DIICOT prosecutors, businessman Răzvan Leu allegedly suffered losses of EUR 1.1 million following a precious metals deal and a loan that never materialized. Georgescu, along with businessman Ionel Rusen, was detained for 30 days starting on Tuesday, September 29.