BELGRADE, Serbia

Kosovo police released ethnic-Serb politicians Thursday after detaining them for several hours on charges of "obstructing official authorities from doing their job."

Local radio station Kontakt Plus reported Thursday afternoon that Serbian Democracy party head Aleksandar Arsenijevic and General Secretary Stefan Veljkovic have been released after several hours of questioning.

The two Serb politicians were arrested in the morning, according to Kosovo Police Deputy Commander of Region North Veton Elshani.

Arsenijevic was arrested at Milic Brothers Square in North Mitrovica town of Mitrovica district, while workers were repainting painted Serbian flags.

Elsani said Arsenijevic was arrested for preventing "official authorities from doing their job."

A large number of ethnic Serbs gathered in front of the police station to show their support for Arsenijevic and Veljkovic.

The crowd greeted the politicians with thunderous applause before marching from the police station to the center of Kosovska Mitrovica waving Serbian national flags.