Police remove tent camps in Bulgaria as anti-govt protesters vow to stay

Bulgarian police on Friday removed dozens of tent camps that had blocked key city intersections across the country amid continuing anti-government protests.

Police said they cleared away tents in the capital of Sofia during the early morning hours and briefly detained 12 people. Police Commissioner Toni Todorov said authorities respect and guarantee the rights of citizens to protest peacefully but that such activity can not violate the rights of other Bulgarians.

The protesters vowed to erect even more road blockades, AP reports. The mostly young demonstrators accuse those in power of refusing to fight corruption and suppressing freedom of speech.