After the protest, 39 people were admitted to the UKC Maribor hospital, of which 25 were police officers and 14 protesters, the UKC said today.

All but one protester sustained only light injuries and have already been discharged, the head of the UKC emergency department, Roman Košir, said. Among them was also a police officer who was hit in his helmet by a granite cobblestone.

The protester who is still in hospital has a broken jaw and will have to undergo surgery.

Out of the 38 people arrested for assaulting officers, 28 are still in detention and might face a prison sentence of six months to five years, the head of the Maribor Police Administration, Danijel Lorbek, said. Among them ten suspects already have a criminal record.

Fines were issued to 81 violators of law and order as protests against Maribor Mayor Franc Kangler turned violent.

Quite a lot of material damage was caused during the ensuing rioting and clashes with the police in Maribor's city centre. Six police vehicles were damaged, while total damage is estimated at some EUR 30,000.

According to the municipality, a few window panes at the City Hall and shop windows were broken, some bus stops at the city centre damaged and about a dozen of dumpsters were set on fire.

A speed trap was also burnt while another one was pulled out of the ground with a car, a video of the exploit already circulating online.

Kangler's setting up of the speed traps across the city was what first triggered the wave of the pronounced dissatisfaction.

Deputy mayor Milan Mikl, who is replacing embattled Kangler while he is on leave, said that two torches had flown onto the balcony near Kangler's office but that they had been put out before they could start a fire.

"I fear complete anarchy. I think nobody deserves this," the deputy mayor told the press today.

He added he was in contact with Kangler and that the mayor was carefully monitoring the developments.

According to the Maribor police, about 8,000 people gathered in Maribor last night while the anonymous organisers of the rally say on Facebook that 20,000 protesters attended. The police say that about 1,000 protesters were violent.

In Celje, where 2,500 to 3,000 people gathered in an anti-establishment protest, protesters were throwing bottles at police officers, injuring two of them. The damage caused to municipality buildings is estimated at EUR 4,000.

A total of 13 persons were detained, nine of whom have already been released.

Protests were also held yesterday in Ljubljana, Ptuj (NE) and Ravne na Koroškem (N). A rally is to take place today in Jesenice (N).