Police in Serbia used tear gas to disperse anti-government protesters in at least two cities on Thursday evening, including the capital Belgrade and the northern city of Novi Sad. Protesters in Novi Sad attacked the headquarters of President Aleksandar Vucic’s ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), covering it with red paint and breaking windows. Police in riot gear later sealed off several blocks in the center of Novi Sad and used tear gas to disperse the protests.
According to AP news agency, Vucic’s supporters, who have been guarding the office for months, were nowhere to be seen during the attack. In Belgrade, protesters and SNS supporters engaged in a standoff, throwing flares and firecrackers at each other. Five police officers were injured and 14 protesters arrested, Serbia’s interior ministry reported.
This surge in violence is part of ongoing clashes between pro- and anti-government supporters over the past few days. On Wednesday, protests were held at 90 locations across the country, resulting in the arrest of nearly 50 protesters and injuries to 80 civilians and 30 riot police.
Since November 2024, Serbia has witnessed student-led protests against Vucic’s government, triggered by the collapse of a railway station roof in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people. The protesters demand an early election and criticize the increasingly authoritarian leadership and corruption under Vucic. Serbia ranks 105th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s 2024 corruption perception index.
The European Union’s Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, expressed deep concern over the violence in Serbia, stating that progress towards EU membership requires the ability of citizens to express their views freely and journalists to report without intimidation.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/serbia-police-arrest-dozens-of-anti-government-protesters/a-73646125?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
