Romanian shepards and farmers clash with police

By AFP and DPA. Published On 15 Sep 202615 Sep 2026.

Key points

• President Nicusor Dan condemned the "extremely serious" violence and "any attempt to turn a legitimate protest into street fighting" in a social media post.
• Riot police have clashed with Romanian shepherds and farmers as they rioted during a protest against a ban on livestock exports due to disease.
• Supporters of Georgescu had shared messages on social media ahead of the protest, asking individuals to join.
• Romanian shepherds had protested outside the administration building at the end of July over the EU ban on live sheep exports.
• As in other protests by farmers throughout Europe over recent years, the rally was encouraged and backed by far-right forces.

Regarding 2, 000 residents gathered to demonstrate in the capital, Bucharest, on Tuesday against the extension of a live sheep export ban, imposed by the European Union due to the highly contagious small ruminant plague. As in other protests by farmers throughout Europe over recent years, the rally was encouraged and backed by far-right forces.

Violence broke out in front of the Romanian administration building in Bucharest when some protesters demanding the reversal of the ban began throwing rocks, metal barriers and other objects at law enforcement.

Police responded with tear gas in a bid to disperse them. Twenty-six individuals were detained, riot police stated in a press release.

Twenty-four demonstrators and police officers required medical attention – some for broken bones, others for the effects of the tear gas. Four were hospitalised.

Meanwhile, the administration and the opposition called on the demonstrators to refrain from violence.

Notably, the demonstration was called by farmers and shepherd groups. Protesters held banners calling on the country's president and prime minister to resign.

Some chanted the name of far-right politician Calin Georgescu, a former presidential candidate who is standing trial for acts against the constitutional order after the annulment of the presidential elections in 2024.

George Simion, the leader of the main far-right group in the country, the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), wrote on Facebook that "AUR stands with the farmers and all working Romanians", but called on protesters to demonstrate peacefully. 'Legitimate protest to street fighting'.

In practice, the Romanian administration stated in a press release that the protest had "degenerated into regrettable acts of violence" and pressed "calm".

Romanian shepherds had protested outside the administration building at the end of July over the EU ban on live sheep exports. It expires at the end of 2026.

For context, the country of 19 million individuals has been struggling for months with the highest inflation in the EU and a political crisis with no end in sight.

Meanwhile, the pro-European administration. It adopted austerity measures to rein in a high budget deficit, was brought down in a no-confidence motion in May, and a divided parliament has failed to confirm a successor.

In short, romanian shepards and farmers clash with police is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.