Romania: police protest to demand retirement at 60

A Romanian policeman wears a false beard and glasses covered in tape to suggest old age and blurred vision during a protest demanding the lowering of the retirement age for police officers in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2016. The protest was joined by more than one thousand officers asking the government to lower retirement age which is currently 65 years-old. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) (The Associated Press)

BUCHAREST, Romania – More than 1,000 police officers, some dressed as Santa Claus, have staged a noisy protest in the Romanian capital demanding they be allowed to retire at 60.

Police officers massed in a central square where Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos and other government members have their offices on Tuesday and banged cymbals and drums. A few stuck on white beards pretending they were Father Christmas, to emphasize the age issue.

The current retirement age for male police officers is 65. Protesters say that's too old for officers to carry out traffic duties and keep public order.

Labor Minister Dragos Pislaru later met some of the officers and said he would look at their request.