Serbia protesters claim police used ‘acoustic weapons'
Serbian authorities have called for an investigation and prosecution of those responsible for spreading misinformation after opposition leaders and a foreign-funded NGO accused security forces of using sound cannons against protesters in Belgrade.
More than 80,000 people took part in an anti-government protest on Saturday, described as one of the largest in Serbia's recent history.
Multiple video clips from the rally showed protesters reacting to a sudden whooshing sound, triggering a brief stampede as the crowd moved away from the center of the road. However, the demonstrators soon returned, visibly puzzled but seemingly unharmed.
The opposition Freedom and Justice Party (SSP) accused security forces of deploying a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), a crowd-control sound cannon that emits high-frequency sounds exceeding 160 decibels and can cause pain and disorientation.
People are theorizing that sonic weapons were used against protestors in Serbia. Can't really tell what's happening - just looks like a massive stampede to me.Have you seen this?🎯pic.twitter.com/LnKi1qhu7t
The Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP), a Soros-backed and USAID-funded non-governmental organization, issued a statement on Sunday condemning 'the unlawful and inhumane deployment of prohibited weapons, such as acoustic devices, against peaceful protesters.'
Serbian authorities have denied using any form of sonic weaponry. The Ministry of Internal Affairs stated there was no evidence to support the claims, calling them 'an attempt to destabilize the country.' Government officials insisted that law enforcement acted within legal limits and maintained order without excessive force.
Addressing the public on Saturday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic dismissed the opposition's accusations, saying a real sonic cannon 'beeps so eerily, it causes such nausea and vomiting that you can't recover from it for days.'
'Just so you know what kind of lies we're talking about… I am asking the Ministry of Justice and the prosecutor's office to react – either to prosecute those who used it, and we know they didn't, but let's check,' Vucic said on Sunday.
Let there be a proceeding, but then they should also prosecute those who went public with such a blatant lie.
Belgrade's emergency hospital denied reports that large numbers of people sought medical assistance after the incident, also urging legal action against those who 'spread untrue information.'
The protests followed months of student-led demonstrations over alleged corruption and government mismanagement, sparked by a fatal accident at the Novi Sad railway station in November 2024.
Vucic has claimed the demonstrations are politically motivated and aimed at destabilizing Serbia. In a social media post on Sunday, he praised the police and military for handling the unrest 'without raising a baton' and thanked them for preserving peace and stability.
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