Bosnian police used pepper spray on Wednesday to disperse hundreds of war veterans protesting in Sarajevo as they demanded a law granting them more benefits.
Special police forces, equipped with helmets and shields, confronted the veterans of the 1990s Bosnian war who blocked the city center during a protest walk.
Some protesters said they were hit by rubber bullets and others claimed they were beaten with batons.
Police said four officers were injured and two protesters detained before the crowd dispersed. Local media reported that dozens of veterans were sickened by the spray and given medical assistance.
The ex-soldiers in Bosnia’s autonomous Bosniak-Croat Federation have repeatedly protested after the regional parliament failed to finalize the adoption of a law granting them wider benefits, including higher payouts and free medical treatment.
Image: US News and World Report.
