Inquiry Launched into Alleged Police Violence After Video Shared on Social Media

The Director of the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior in the coastal city of Varna, Senior Commissioner Krasen Torimatsov, has ordered an internal investigation after a video was circulated on social media accusing police officers of violence.

According to initial information, at around 13:00 on 2 November in the village of Sindel, Avren Municipality, officers from the Specialised Police Unit stopped a car and checked the people in it.

Police established that the driver had no driving licence or identity documents, refused to comply with police instructions and resisted attempts to detain him. A second man from the vehicle intervened in an effort to prevent the arrest. Acting within their powers, officers used physical force and auxiliary devices to detain the pair.

As the incident unfolded, around 40–50 local residents gathered at the scene, heightening tensions. The officers halted the check and detention, and additional police units and an ambulance were dispatched to restore public order. Emergency medical staff reported no injured individuals.

At approximately 15:00, three people requested medical assistance, prompting a second ambulance call-out. They were examined and referred to St Anna Hospital in Varna, where they were subsequently admitted to the neurosurgery department for further tests.

The investigation aims to clarify all circumstances surrounding the incident. A pre-trial case has also been opened under the supervision of the Varna District Prosecutor’s Office. The team's actions were recorded on a body-worn police camera. Authorities note that two of the individuals who resisted had previously attacked police officers in 2021, injuring two officers on duty; at that time, pre-trial proceedings were initiated against one of persons.