SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Hundreds of Bulgarians have marched through downtown Sofia carrying torches and chanting nationalist slogans despite protests by human rights groups.
Saturday’s march was organized by the far-right Bulgarian National Union to honor the memory of Hristo Lukov, a World War II general known for his anti-Semitic and pro-Nazi activities. The march, attended by nearly 1,000 people, according to organizers, was guarded by numerous police officers in riot gear, but there were no incidents.
The march was met with protests and criticism by a number of human rights groups who accused its organizers of promoting racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism.
In an open letter to the mayor of Sofia, the European Network Against Racism had demanded the march to be canceled due to the “admiration for openly fascist and racist views.”