The leader of Bulgaria’s nationalist, anti-EU and anti-NATO party appropriately called “Attack,” may land in prison for his involvement in several violent incidents.
Volen Siderov was arrested today for assault and hooliganism during what Reuters calls a “fracas,” and faces jail time after his colleagues in parliament voted to strip him of immunity from prosecution. He was taken into custody for 72 hours, a period which could be extended by the court.
Siderov entered Bulgaria’s National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts last month where, along with several others, he disrupted classes and rehearsals calling students “drug addicts”, “fruitcakes” and “faggots.” In a widely televised event, he was forcibly removed from the venue by police, and appeared to be punched in the face.
According to The Sofia Globe, Siderov is a 9/11 truther, believes the recent Paris attacks did not actually take place, and that the United States is a colonial power that controls Bulgaria. He said that the United States’ ambassador ordered the Bulgarian prime minister and prosecutor general to destroy him.
Siderov has gained notoriety for his public scuffles, which appear to be aimed at raising his profile. The Bulgarian prosecutor’s office described his behavior as having an “extraordinary degree of cynicism.”
He faces charges for his involvement in a brawl outside a store in Sofia last month, and has been accused in another case for a fight on an airport runway bus. He denies any wrongdoing.
“Attack” supports Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and advocates for Bulgaria’s alignment with the Kremlin rather than the West. It holds 11 out of 240 seats in the country’s parliament.