After today’s clashes between the gendarmes and the farmers, as darkness fell, Victory Square was plunged into complete silence. In groups or alone, the sheep farmers spread out their blankets and sheepskin coats to use as makeshift beds and, after the last television camera had gone and the photographers’ last flash had faded, they lay down beneath the open skies of the capital, keeping the promise they had made in full view of the country: “We will not leave / We will sleep here”, gandul.ro reports.

Many of the sheep farmers chose the small garden in front of the Antipa Museum as the place to spend the night.

The images captured by Gândul reporters speak of the determination of people who have nothing left to lose. People who have realised that nothing will be solved if they go home. Just as nothing has been solved after months of promises. So they stayed. Some in the car parks around the government, others in parks.

The images show several of them resting their heads on the kerbs, pieces of which had been broken off just hours earlier to fight back against the gendarmes’ violence.

The protests are continuing today. Farmers from across the country have once again announced their presence in Bucharest, for a second day, dissatisfied that none of their 16 demands has elicited any response. The Government has offered them no clear prospect regarding the export ban extended by the European Commission until 31 December 2026, and has not responded specifically to any of their demands.