A number of people were injured in downtown Ljubljana on Thursday evening in clashes between police and people who protested against the government and restrictions introduced to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The protests, of which police had not been informed, were announced by a group which calls itself “Anonymous Slovenia”, from whose actions groups that have been staging cyclists’ protests in Ljubljana on Fridays for months have distanced themselves.

Earlier in the afternoon, several hundred people rallied in downtown Ljubljana, including people who shouted insults at police guarding the parliament building, throwing fireworks at them.

This prompted police to use water cannons against the protesters, with a police helicopter flying above the scene.

Minister of the Interior Ales Hojs arrived later at the scene, telling reporters that he blamed the riots and injuries sustained by some police officers during the protest on some media outlets too that had been campaigning against the government and its decisions, and that a group of hooligans had also attacked members of a special police unit and mounted police.

Prime Minister Janez Jansa said on Twitter that the violence and attacks on police were a crime and would be punished.

Media outlets and social networks close to Jansa claim the attacks on police were organised by far-left organisations.

The STA news agency said that police dispersed the crowd late in the afternoon, completely emptying streets in the city centre.

Damage was caused to the city infrastructre at the site of the riots and several people had to be hospitalised.