The Zagreb Magistrate's Court has ruled in favour of four protesters from Varsavska Street, claiming the police should not have arrested them as they did not resist arrest nor disturb the peace, but the police said on Friday their operation was legal and that they would appeal the February 26 ruling.
Police started arresting protesters, who were trying to prevent the start of construction of an entrance to an underground car park in Varsavska Street in downtown Zagreb, around 3 am on February 11, a few hours after a large protest rally was held there.
Police arrested 23 protesters, but only four were brought before a magistrate on charges of disturbing the peace and resisting arrest.
On that occasion, police dismissed all criticism about the unwarranted use of force.
The operation was justified by Interior Minister Tomislav Karamarko, while being condemned in the strongest terms by many civil society associations, some Zagreb city councilors and then President-elect Ivo Josipovic.
