Over 20,000 protest to have justice legislation bill withdrawn

Over 20,000 people, according to some sources, on Sunday staged a protest rally in Bucharest demanding the withdrawal of a controversial justice legislation bill, the rejection in the Parliament of the government ordinance on amending tax legislation, the resignation of the Government and of the chairs of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. 

The protesters gathered around 18:00hrs in Piata Victoriei and around 19:00hrs they marched to Parliament. 

Around 22:00hrs, the protesters started to leave. 

Before the wooden cross in Piata Universitatii the protesters held a moment of silence in memory the heroes of the December 1989 Revolution and sang the national anthem, while in Piata Constitutiei, the demonstrators stopped before the Ministry of Justice and chanted ''Justitie, nu coruptie!'' (Justice, not corruption!), ''Tu-Dorel, demisia!'' (You, Dorel, resign!), ''Hotii!'' ("Thieves!), ''Rusine!'' (Shame!), "Demisia!" (Resignation!), ''Dragnea, nu uita, tara vrea averea ta!'' (Dragnea, do not forget, the country wants your wealth), ''Pui de hoti si de mafioti!'' (Offspring of thieves and mobsters!). 

The protests were announced on Facebook, in Bucharest and other counties in the country, but also in Milan, Zurich, Birmingham and Paris. Civic groups and non-governmental organisations as well as trade union confederations had called on people to demand in the streets the withdrawal of the justice legislation bill, to have Parliament reject the government ordinance amending tax legislation, and also to have the Government and the chairs of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate resign. 

Among the signatories of the protest call are Romania 100 Platform, Coruptia Ucide, the Romanian Centre for European Policies, Freedom House, and politicians. AGREPRES .