Police clashed with anti-government protesters in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, on Saturday night, as demonstrators demanded an early parliamentary election and an end to the rule of President Aleksandar Vucic.
Earlier protesters, led by students, issued an ultimatum, saying the government must call a snap election or face a civil disobedience campaign. The main demonstration then ended, but some protesters marched toward the pro-government rally outside parliament. Many were wearing goggles, masks and helmets.
Police detained several dozen protesters, while six police officers were reported injured in clashes, according to Dragan Vasiljevic, the director of police.
Vucic’s refusal has only energized demonstrators, particularly university students, who have become a driving force behind the movement.
“The reluctance of Vucic makes it all the more important to be there now,” said Tara, a student who only gave DW her first name. “We want to show the president that we want elections. The fight is not over, and the protests are not over yet.”
“Realistically, we have to prolong the protest a little longer,” added Kristina.
“But we’re almost at the finish line,” said Teodora. “Vucic is on his last legs.”
In a now routine pre-protest crackdown, more than a dozen people have been arrested, including five on Friday who were remanded for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government, according to Serbia’s Higher Court.
There are a lot of disturbing videos available on reddit. The police chasing and beating the living hell out of people on the ground, the director of the police claiming on national television that the protesters didn’t allow an ambulance to pass, even though there is a video showing the ambulance passing through the crowd of protestors only to be stopped by the police, who then used the situation to commence a surprise charge at the protesters. And all this because we want… check this… elections. Something our overlord used to hold every 2 years, but now he’s scared.