Romanian riot police have fired tear gas, water cannons and pepper spray to subdue thousands of anti-corruption protesters in violent clashes.
Shocking photographs of today’s mass demonstration in Bucharest show an officer gripping an elderly man around his throat, a policeman preventing a man from helping a woman in a wheelchair, and water being blasted from police trucks into people’s faces.
About 100 people required medical attention after inhaling the gases, while 10 police officers were injured by hurled stones and bottles, the emergency services said.
Local media said that between 30,000 and 50,000 people turned out for the protest, included many Romanian expatriates who returned home especially to show their anger at the levels of official corruption.
Riot police spray tear gas while scuffling with protesters outside the government headquarters in Bucharest, Romania, today

Local media said that between 30,000-50,000 people turned out for the protest in Bucharest, included many Romanian expatriates who returned home especially to show their anger at the levels of official corruption

A riot policeman grabs the arm of a man trying to assist a woman in a wheelchair in the street during today’s clashes

Riot police deploy a water canon against protesting crowds outside the government headquarters, in Bucharest, Romania

Above, an elderly man at the demonstration is gripped around his throat by police officers, while other protesters were pushed to the ground

Standing guard, anti-riot police attend the massive demonstration in front of the Romanian Government headquarters on August 10

There were dramatic scenes as people clashed with police, with demonstrators running, above, as officers charge the crowd

Angry people mob riot police officers who fell and were left behind during a charge to clear the square during protests outside the government headquarters, in Bucharest
Last year those working abroad sent €4.3billion back to their families at home, yet ‘unfortunately nothing has changed in Romania,’ said Ileana Anghel, a Romanian national living in Spain.
‘We want to see modern roads and schools and above all to not have to pay bribes to the left and right,’ added Anghel who, like her husband, Stefan, works in the Alicante region.
They joined tens of thousands of protesters who rallied against the ruling Social Democrat (PSD) government in Bucharest and other cities across Romania, after demonstrations were organised and promoted by groups of Romanians working abroad.
Expats are fed up with the left-wing government’s failure to spend the hard-earned cash they send home on modernising infrastructure, such as roads, and improving services in the country, which ranks as one of the EU’s most corrupt states – Brussels is currently keeping its justice system under special monitoring.

Riot police spray tear gas while scuffling with protesters, as Romanians who live abroad staged anti-government protests calling on the left-wing government to resign and an early election

Riot police fired tear gas into the crowds during protests outside the government headquarters, in Bucharest. Romanians who live abroad staged anti-government protests calling on the left-wing government to resign and have an early election

Riot police wearing heavy body armour used pepper spray on the protesters. Demonstrators waved Romanian and European Union flags under a scorching sun, chanting ‘Party of thieves’ and called on the government to resign

Riot police are seen detaining a protester wearing a Guy Fawkes mask, above. In Bucharest, some protesters attempted to force their way through security lines guarding the government building

A woman hugs a man after falling out of her wheelchair during the scuffles. Thousands joined a rally in Bucharest on Friday staged by Romanians working abroad to protest against entrenched corruption, low wages and attempts by the ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD) to weaken the judiciary

A man flashes victory signs next to a riot police line outside the government headquarters. Several politicians from the ruling coalition derided the rally in the run up, saying they did not understand why the diaspora would protest

Riot police lead away a protester as a woman photographs the incident at the Government HQ. Romania ranks as one of the EU’s most corrupt states and Brussels keeps its justice system under special monitoring
Since the Social Democrats won power in 2016, the government has proposed new laws that critics say weaken the nation’s fight against corruption.
An estimated four million Romanians are living abroad, and some say they left because of corruption, low wages and lack of opportunities.
‘We don’t want our country to be governed by thieves who line their own pockets,’ said Georgeta Anghel, 43, who has lived in Valencia, Spain, for 14 years.
‘If nothing changes here, what kind of future will our son have in the future?’

A man stands guard in front of Romanian anti-riot police during clashes at a demonstration in Bucharest. Local media said between 30,000 to 50,000 people turned out for the protest, including many Romanian expatriates who returned home especially to show their anger at the level of official corruption

Mihai Podut, who left Romania in 2014, holding his country’s flag at the anti-government rally. Protests have occurred outside government headquarters regularly since the Social Democrats took power in early 2017 and tried to decriminalise several corruption offences

Protesters help a man who fell as they tried to push through a riot police line. A hundred people required medical attention after inhaling the gases, while 10 police officers were injured by hurled stones and bottles, the emergency services said

There were chaotic scenes as protesters taunted police officers, who used water cannons, above, to quell the demonstrators

Undeterred by the huge police presence, a man stands in front of a riot police line during today’s massive rallies
Protesters waved Romanian, EU, Spanish, Italian and other flags, yelling, ‘justice, not corruption’ and called the ruling party ‘the red plague’ outside government offices in the capital.
Demonstrators scuffled with riot police when they tried to break through a police line guarding the government offices. At least one man was detained.
Hundreds of thousands have signed a petition demanding a law that would ban people charged with corruption and other offences from office, but it is unlikely to pass Parliament where the Social Democrats and their allies have a majority.
Liviu Dragnea, the head of the Social Democrats, has received a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence for abuse of power in office.
He is appealing against that decision, and is unable to be prime minister due to another conviction in 2016 for vote-rigging.
Cristina Andrei arrived to join the rally in Bucharest from Stockholm, Sweden, where she lives now with her two sons.
‘I’ve come here for my children, who don’t know how to read or write Romanian,’ the 42-year-old cashier said.
‘This country is rich and beautiful but it’s run by thieves.’

Riot policemen detain a man during protests, as expat Romanians join local residents to show their disapproval of the government, which they want to resign

Armour-clad riot police charge to clear the square during protests outside the government headquarters, in Bucharest

People hold a Romanian flag in front of a riot police line during a charge to clear the square during protests outside the government headquarters in Bucharest, Romania, on Friday, August 10