No Arrests Made After Riots at Ivan Vazov National Theater in Sofia

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No Arrests Made After Riots at Ivan Vazov National Theater in Sofia

Last night's riot at the Ivan Vazov National Theater in Sofia during a protest against the new production "Guns and the Man" directed by John Malkovich did not result in any arrests, as confirmed by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Atanas Ilkov. The police response to the situation was considered quick, adequate, and immediate, with 60 riot police officers deployed to the scene despite no prior information about provocations involving football hooligans.

The prosecutor's office has tasked the Sofia Directorate for Internal Affairs with identifying the individuals responsible for the disruption of order during the protest, and suspects have already been pinpointed. Although protesters attacked theater director Vasil Vasilev, animator Teodor Ushev, and actor Vladimir Penev, the police chose to prioritize de-escalation of tension over immediate arrests. The Sofia Directorate for Internal Affairs explained that due to the presence of provocateurs among the spectators with tickets, a cordon could not be established to allow entry into the theater last night. The director of the Metropolitan Directorate of Internal Affairs, Lyubomir Nikolov, praised the police for managing to prevent an escalation of tension and emphasized the importance of handling the situation without causing further unrest. Furthermore, a protest and a counter-protest are scheduled to take place this evening in front of the National Theater in Sofia.