V povezavi s prispevki in zavajajočimi navedbami, objavljenimi včeraj v nekaterih medijih, po dodatnem preverjanju pojasnjujemo, da je na mejnem prehodu Rigonce eden izmed policistov uporabil plinski razpršilec zoper protestnika, ki je v skupini z drugimi protestniki poskušal prebiti kordon policistov.
Skupina je stopnjevala nasilje nad policisti in vanje metala palice in plastenke. Posamezni protestniki so z vso silo policiste odrivali in nasilje usmerili v enega izmed policistov, zato je ta zoper enega nasilnega protestnika uporabil plinski razpršilec. Naj pojasnimo, da uporabo prisilnih sredstev ureja pravilnik, ki natančno opredeljuje, kdaj policist sme uporabiti tovrstno prisilno sredstvo, in plinski razpršilec sodi med milejša prisilna sredstva, ki jih policist sme uporabiti za vzpostavitev javnega reda in miru in zagotavljanja varnosti ljudi.
Po podatkih policistov ob uporabi prisilnih sredstev ni bil nihče poškodovan.
Poudarjamo torej, da plinski razpršilec nikakor ni bil uporabljen zoper skupino oseb ali tujce, ampak zoper posameznika, ki je kršil javni red in mir.
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Police officer uses pepper spray against a violent protester at Rigonce border crossing - a response to misleading news reports
We refer to media reports concerning the use of pepper spray at the Rigonce border crossing, which contained misleading allegations. Our inquiries confirm that the spray was used by a police officer against a single protester, who was part of a larger group of protesters trying to break through a police cordon.
The group had become increasingly violent and had resorted to throwing sticks and plastic bottles at the police. Individual protesters aggressively pushed officers and rounded upon one police officer, who then used pepper spray against a violent protester.
The use of means of coercion is defined in a regulation, which specifies when a police officer is allowed to use a particular means of coercion. Pepper spray is one of the milder means of coercion that police may use to maintain public order and ensure people’s safety.
According to police officers, no one was injured as a result of its use.
Pepper spray was not used against the group of protesters but against an individual who breached public order.