Hundreds of police officers locked down a Romanian locality near the capital Bucharest after rampaging rival clan members stormed a hospital brandishing pitchforks and sticks, terrifying staff and patients. At least six people were hospitalized and six detained.
Police set up roadblocks in Pantelimon and in two areas of the capital and at the “Saint Pantelimon” Hospital in Bucharest, the Ilfov Police Inspectorate said.
Video shows a gang of men attacking a car with baseball bats and chains and smashing the windscreen as the terrified driver reverses and heads off down another street.
Gang members then storm into a hospital brandishing large sticks. Doctors said the gang rampaged through the hospital with pitchforks and sticks looking for rival gang members.
“There were about 10–15 people who stopped in front of the hospital.. and entered without anyone being able to stop them. They stormed the emergency room, in search of the first victims, who had already arrived by their own means. They were very aggressive. Fortunately, the medical staff was not physically assaulted, just very scared. They hit equipment with sticks, destroyed an office and smashed a computer with a bat,” hospital spokeswoman Fiorela Mitoiu said.
There was no word on the injured. At least one person required surgery.
Police trade union Europol said that before police intervened “dozens of clan members fought with axes, clubs, swords and knives without being disturbed by anyone.”
Police said they had identified 19 people who took part in the feud and were questioning 12. Six people have been detained.
Police said they were called out on Saturday after a conflict broke out in Pantelimon.
The fight was connected to tensions between two families caused by a relationship between a man and a woman from the different families.
In order to restore order, police set up roadblocks at all the entrances to the town and also set up patrols to Bucharest’s sector 2 and 3.
“Through the missions carried out yesterday and which will continue today, we send a very firm message: we act without sparing and tolerance towards those who use force and intimidation, especially in a hospital. We continue to proactively adopt measures for the public safety.”
They said public order had been quickly restored, and potential harm to other people in the area removed. “The participants in this conflict were quickly identified,” Ilfov police said.
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