Romanians mark 1989 revolt, reject government's amnesty plan Romanians have demanded more democracy during a march to commemorate the victims of the 1989 anti-communist revolt

BUCHAREST, Romania -- Romanians are demanding more democracy at an anti-government march to commemorate the victims of the country's 1989 anti-communist revolt.

Protesters gathered Saturday outside government offices in Bucharest carrying candles and Romanian flags before marching to Revolution Square, where late Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu fled in a helicopter as crowds demanded his ouster.

The demonstrators chanted "We don't want to be governed by thieves!" demanding that Romania's Social Democratic government scrap a plan to grant amnesty to those convicted of corruption.

Oana Solomon told The Associated Press: "People died in 1989 because they wanted Romania to be free ... we don't want to go back to those days."

Some 1,104 people died during the 1989 uprising that toppled Ceausescu. He was executed with his wife Elena after a summary trial on Christmas Day.