Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denies allegations that the police employed a sonic weapon against protesters in Belgrade. He called this “a vile lie” and stated that he personally observed the weapon abroad, adding that the distinctive sound from such a device was not present during the protests.

While acknowledging an investigation will ensue, Vucic warned of potential consequences for spreading such “notorious lies”.

The accusations originated during a commemorative silence when witnesses reported a sudden, sharp noise scattering the crowd. Military analyst Aleksandar Radic attributed this to a Long Range Acoustic Device, also known as a sonic weapon.

The Belgrade Center for Security Policy, a Serbian NGO, criticized the alleged use of the weapon as an attempt to induce chaos and delegitimize the protests. According to them, using such devices goes against Serbian law.

The protests in question were the largest in Serbia’s history, with a turnout that ranged from over 100,000 to possibly over 300,000 people. They were initially a response to the death of 15 individuals in Novi Sad, where protestors demand accountability. More broadly, the protests encompassed grievances on various issues like corruption, nepotism, mismanagement of natural resources, voter fraud, media control, and inadequacies in handling previous incidents linked to the government.

As a result of the protests, several officials, including Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic and the Mayor of Novi Sad Milan Djuric, have stepped down.

The protests have been characterized by large scale demonstrations against the government in Belgrade.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/serbian-government-denies-using-sonic-weapon-at-protest/a-71942262?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf