How the gendarme who issued the fine from the Collective defends himself: “Mr. Rădună defied us / His wife was wanted at work”
The gendarme who fined Marian Rădună, the organizer of the commemoration of 10 years since the tragedy in the Colectiv club, said that he regrets the decision taken during the event.
Marian Rădună was fined 3,000 lei PHOTO Facebook
In a dialogue with journalist Claudiu Pândaru, the 26-year-old explained that he did not anticipate the negative impact of his action. He said that in a similar situation, he would have opted for a verbal or written warning.
“I'm very sorry for what happened. We didn't realize we could create this image,” said the constable, admitting that after the incident became public, he became the target of online threats and abuse.
“My parents are devastated and my wife has been searched at work. I'm not well,” he confessed, emphasizing the personal and emotional impact the whole situation has.
According to his statement, the incident occurred because the organizer did not allow other people to participate in the candle lighting.
“Mr. Rădună defied us all the way. An organizer, if they do not want other people to participate, should inform us. We found ourselves caught between a rock and a hard place, between the people who were waiting to light candles and Mr. Rădună, who did not allow access. We went to him and begged him nicely, but he defied us.” explained the gendarme.
On the other side, Marian Rădună told that, from the University, a man with a flag, known for participating in the AUR protests, joined the march. In addition, another participant tried to incense the area, which Rădună considered inappropriate.
“We didn't want flags as symbolism. I have no problem with him as an individual, with his political orientation. We didn't want flags at the commemoration, symbolically, because Romania failed there.” said the organizer.
Several hundred people participated in the march organized in Bucharest to mark ten years since the Colectiv tragedy, on October 30, 2015, when 65 young people lost their lives. The participants gathered at the University and then went to the site of the former club in Piața Bucur, where they lit candles and observed moments of silence.
At the former Colectiv club, 25 people held a moment of silence after the permitted time, and the organizer Marian Rădună was fined 3,000 lei, the amount reduced to 500 lei if it is paid within 15 days
Later, the Romanian Gendarmerie announced that it was verifying the application of the contraventional sanction granted to the organizer of the commemorative march for the victims of Colectiv, stating that the gendarmerie would have acted without taking into account the spirit of the law.
Godina harshly criticizes the reaction of the Gendarmerie leadership
Police officer Marian Godină reacted on Facebook after the Romanian Gendarmerie publicly apologized for the fine imposed on activist Marian Rădună.
“An activist was penalized by a gendarme during the commemoration march for the victims of Colectiv. The activist was the organizer of the march”said the policeman, specifying that the law is “more lenient” in the case of commemorations.
According to him, the march ended at 8 pm, however “after 11 p.m., people still stayed for a moment of silence, to light candles.” In the area appeared “some people with some flags. So-called sovereignists. They said they also want to commemorate. Are they allowed? Well, they are, right?”writes Godină.
