Former Slovak premier detained for protest during lockdown

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Former Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has been detained by police in Bratislava for organizing an anti-government rally that was banned amid the current lockdown. Fico’s leftist Smer-Social Democracy party and police confirmed the detention that took place before the planned demonstration in the Slovak capital Thursday evening. Police say they will not give more details till Friday. Any public gatherings of more than six people, including protests, have been banned after the government imposed strict restrictions to tackle a record surge of coronavirus infections in late November. Fico, a populist leader, has been a vocal critic of the government’s response to the pandemic, and opposed vaccination.