People gather as Montenegrin police quiz clergy

Hundreds of people gathered in front of a police station in the Montenegrin city of Niksic on Tuesday night after bishops who held a liturgy alleged to have broken coronavirus restrictions were called for questioning by police.

A few thousand people attended a religious gathering earlier on Tuesday that authorities said violated rules against the restrictions.

A liturgy was held before participants walked through the town.

The government's crisis team late on Tuesday called for urgent legal measures against the organizers saying that the service was illegal and jeopardized efforts against fighting the virus.

The procession in the western town of Niksic was lead by a Serbian Orthodox Church priests and attended by pro-Serb opposition leaders in Montenegro.

Montenegro on Tuesday reported no new cases of the virus. Nine people have died so far.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.