STA, 21 May 2021 - Friday's anti-government protesters gave the government a week to resign or face a massive "uprising" to push for an early election next Friday. The ultimatum was issued as the latest weekly cycling protest coincided with an event staged by a movement for the Slovenian Palestinian community with many of the protesters waving Palestinian flags.
According to a report by the news portal www.rtvslo.si, the protest, converging on the square in front of the parliament building, drew a crowd of a few hundred by unofficial estimates.
The protesters announced that unless the government resigned, the protest on 28 May would be even more massive than the one staged on 27 April, which by police estimates was attended some 10,000 people.
"It's time for an early election! It's time to stop that train speeding into an abyss even before we start presiding the EU," reads the call issued by the group calling to today's protest.
They announced the protest next Friday would feature cycling protesters, trade unions, students, pensioners, young people, people from the academic and cultural spheres, environmental NGOs, marginalised groups, musicians and artists.
The protest merged with an event at which Palestinians shared their stories, calling for freedom for Palestine and condemning actions by Israel as "genocide". The protesters also protested against the Israeli flag being raised on the Slovenian government building.
Access to the government building was blocked by the police. There were also pushing and altercation between the protesters and the police and some protesters, mainly Palestinians, were apprehended.
