Latest news with #StVitusDay
Arabian Post
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Arabian Post
Mass Protests Shake Belgrade With Police Intervention
Tens of thousands gathered in Belgrade on Saturday to demand early parliamentary elections and an end to President Aleksandar Vučić's 12‑year hold on power, prompting a heavy police deployment and tense confrontations. Authorities stationed riot police in full gear around government buildings and Parliament, while supporters of the president camped in Pionirski Park, bolstering the political standoff. After the main protest ended at around 22:00 local time, clashes erupted: demonstrators hurled bottles, flares and rocks, and police responded with pepper spray, stun grenades and physical force. Reports indicate dozens of protesters were detained, and six officers along with an unspecified number of civilians sustained injuries. University students, who have sustained the eight-month-long anti-corruption campaign since a fatal roof collapse at Novi Sad railway station, claimed authorities escalated tensions. Protesters released a statement on X, asserting that 'every radicalisation of the situation is [the authorities'] responsibility.' Interior Minister Ivica Dačić defended the deployment as necessary to preserve public order, stating police would 'apply all its powers to repel attacks, and arrest all those who attacked the police.' ADVERTISEMENT President Vučić, whose parliamentary coalition holds 156 of 250 seats, dismissed allegations of corruption and authoritarianism. He accused unnamed foreign actors of orchestrating the unrest and affirmed that those initiating violence 'wanted to topple Serbia', but he vowed they 'failed' and would face justice. Independent monitors estimated around 140,000 participants in the protest, contrasting sharply with the government's figure of 36,000. Demonstrators packed Slavija Square and adjacent streets, chanting 'We want elections!' and confronting lines of riot units. Some masked participants used makeshift shields and flares to push toward the pro-government encampment. The movement's origins trace back to November 2024, when a canopy collapse at Novi Sad station claimed 16 lives. That disaster sparked outrage over alleged state negligence and corruption, galvanising students and civic groups to call for accountability and broader political reform. The protests escalated into university blockades and nationwide demonstrations. Earlier this week, police arrested several individuals—including students and a former war veteran—accusing them of plotting to overthrow the government. Prosecutors alleged weapons were involved. Critics argue these arrests are part of a pre-emptive crackdown intended to intimidate dissenters ahead of Saturday's rally. Political analysts note the protest coincided with St Vitus Day, a symbolic holiday marking Serbia's medieval resistance against Ottoman rule. Choosing the date carries potent historical resonance and appears designed to evoke national unity. The president's supporters, some bussed in from across the country, echoed this theme via their slogans and visible presence.
The Advertiser
15 hours ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Serbian police clash with anti-government protesters
Serbian police have clashed with anti-government protesters demanding snap elections and an end to the 12-year rule of President Aleksandar Vucic. Police deployed scores of officers in riot gear around government buildings, parliament and nearby Pionirski Park, where throngs of Vucic's backers from across the nation gathered in a counter-protest. After the protest ended, some who wanted to confront Vucic's supporters threw bottles, rocks and flares at the police, who used force to disperse them in several locations across Belgrade's city centre. The protesters shouted: "Keep the shields down," calling on the police to stop intervening. Police detained several dozen demonstrators, while six officers were reported injured in clashes, Dragan Vasiljevic, the director of police, told a press conference late on Saturday local time. Vucic said protesters attempted to topple the state. "They wanted to topple Serbia, and they have failed," he wrote on his Instagram page. In a statement, students accused the government of escalating tensions. "They (authorities) ... opted for violence and repression against the people. Every radicalisation of the situation is their responsibility," students wrote on the X social media platform. In a statement, Ivica Dacic, the interior minister, said police will act to maintain public order. "The police will take all measures to establish public order and peace ... and apply all its powers to repel attacks, and arrest all those who attacked the police," Dacic said. Months of protests across the nation, including university shutdowns, have rattled Vucic, a populist, whose second term ends in 2027, when there are also parliamentary elections scheduled. Vucic's opponents accuse him and his allies of ties to organised crime, violence against rivals and curbing media freedoms, something they deny. Earlier on Saturday, Vucic said unspecified "foreign powers" were behind the protest. He said police should be restrained, but warned that violence will not be tolerated. "The country will be defended, and thugs will face justice," he told reporters in Belgrade. Sladjana Lojanovic, 37, a farmer from the town of Sid in the north, said she came to support students. "The institutions have been usurped and ... there is a lot of corruption. Elections are the solution, but I don't think he (Vucic) will want to go peacefully," she told Reuters. In the days ahead of the protest, police arrested about a dozen anti-government activists, charging them with undermining the constitution and terrorism. All denied the charges. The Belgrade rally coincides with St Vitus Day, venerated by most Serbs, which marks the 1389 Battle of Kosovo with Ottoman Turks. Serbian police have clashed with anti-government protesters demanding snap elections and an end to the 12-year rule of President Aleksandar Vucic. Police deployed scores of officers in riot gear around government buildings, parliament and nearby Pionirski Park, where throngs of Vucic's backers from across the nation gathered in a counter-protest. After the protest ended, some who wanted to confront Vucic's supporters threw bottles, rocks and flares at the police, who used force to disperse them in several locations across Belgrade's city centre. The protesters shouted: "Keep the shields down," calling on the police to stop intervening. Police detained several dozen demonstrators, while six officers were reported injured in clashes, Dragan Vasiljevic, the director of police, told a press conference late on Saturday local time. Vucic said protesters attempted to topple the state. "They wanted to topple Serbia, and they have failed," he wrote on his Instagram page. In a statement, students accused the government of escalating tensions. "They (authorities) ... opted for violence and repression against the people. Every radicalisation of the situation is their responsibility," students wrote on the X social media platform. In a statement, Ivica Dacic, the interior minister, said police will act to maintain public order. "The police will take all measures to establish public order and peace ... and apply all its powers to repel attacks, and arrest all those who attacked the police," Dacic said. Months of protests across the nation, including university shutdowns, have rattled Vucic, a populist, whose second term ends in 2027, when there are also parliamentary elections scheduled. Vucic's opponents accuse him and his allies of ties to organised crime, violence against rivals and curbing media freedoms, something they deny. Earlier on Saturday, Vucic said unspecified "foreign powers" were behind the protest. He said police should be restrained, but warned that violence will not be tolerated. "The country will be defended, and thugs will face justice," he told reporters in Belgrade. Sladjana Lojanovic, 37, a farmer from the town of Sid in the north, said she came to support students. "The institutions have been usurped and ... there is a lot of corruption. Elections are the solution, but I don't think he (Vucic) will want to go peacefully," she told Reuters. In the days ahead of the protest, police arrested about a dozen anti-government activists, charging them with undermining the constitution and terrorism. All denied the charges. The Belgrade rally coincides with St Vitus Day, venerated by most Serbs, which marks the 1389 Battle of Kosovo with Ottoman Turks. Serbian police have clashed with anti-government protesters demanding snap elections and an end to the 12-year rule of President Aleksandar Vucic. Police deployed scores of officers in riot gear around government buildings, parliament and nearby Pionirski Park, where throngs of Vucic's backers from across the nation gathered in a counter-protest. After the protest ended, some who wanted to confront Vucic's supporters threw bottles, rocks and flares at the police, who used force to disperse them in several locations across Belgrade's city centre. The protesters shouted: "Keep the shields down," calling on the police to stop intervening. Police detained several dozen demonstrators, while six officers were reported injured in clashes, Dragan Vasiljevic, the director of police, told a press conference late on Saturday local time. Vucic said protesters attempted to topple the state. "They wanted to topple Serbia, and they have failed," he wrote on his Instagram page. In a statement, students accused the government of escalating tensions. "They (authorities) ... opted for violence and repression against the people. Every radicalisation of the situation is their responsibility," students wrote on the X social media platform. In a statement, Ivica Dacic, the interior minister, said police will act to maintain public order. "The police will take all measures to establish public order and peace ... and apply all its powers to repel attacks, and arrest all those who attacked the police," Dacic said. Months of protests across the nation, including university shutdowns, have rattled Vucic, a populist, whose second term ends in 2027, when there are also parliamentary elections scheduled. Vucic's opponents accuse him and his allies of ties to organised crime, violence against rivals and curbing media freedoms, something they deny. Earlier on Saturday, Vucic said unspecified "foreign powers" were behind the protest. He said police should be restrained, but warned that violence will not be tolerated. "The country will be defended, and thugs will face justice," he told reporters in Belgrade. Sladjana Lojanovic, 37, a farmer from the town of Sid in the north, said she came to support students. "The institutions have been usurped and ... there is a lot of corruption. Elections are the solution, but I don't think he (Vucic) will want to go peacefully," she told Reuters. In the days ahead of the protest, police arrested about a dozen anti-government activists, charging them with undermining the constitution and terrorism. All denied the charges. The Belgrade rally coincides with St Vitus Day, venerated by most Serbs, which marks the 1389 Battle of Kosovo with Ottoman Turks. Serbian police have clashed with anti-government protesters demanding snap elections and an end to the 12-year rule of President Aleksandar Vucic. Police deployed scores of officers in riot gear around government buildings, parliament and nearby Pionirski Park, where throngs of Vucic's backers from across the nation gathered in a counter-protest. After the protest ended, some who wanted to confront Vucic's supporters threw bottles, rocks and flares at the police, who used force to disperse them in several locations across Belgrade's city centre. The protesters shouted: "Keep the shields down," calling on the police to stop intervening. Police detained several dozen demonstrators, while six officers were reported injured in clashes, Dragan Vasiljevic, the director of police, told a press conference late on Saturday local time. Vucic said protesters attempted to topple the state. "They wanted to topple Serbia, and they have failed," he wrote on his Instagram page. In a statement, students accused the government of escalating tensions. "They (authorities) ... opted for violence and repression against the people. Every radicalisation of the situation is their responsibility," students wrote on the X social media platform. In a statement, Ivica Dacic, the interior minister, said police will act to maintain public order. "The police will take all measures to establish public order and peace ... and apply all its powers to repel attacks, and arrest all those who attacked the police," Dacic said. Months of protests across the nation, including university shutdowns, have rattled Vucic, a populist, whose second term ends in 2027, when there are also parliamentary elections scheduled. Vucic's opponents accuse him and his allies of ties to organised crime, violence against rivals and curbing media freedoms, something they deny. Earlier on Saturday, Vucic said unspecified "foreign powers" were behind the protest. He said police should be restrained, but warned that violence will not be tolerated. "The country will be defended, and thugs will face justice," he told reporters in Belgrade. Sladjana Lojanovic, 37, a farmer from the town of Sid in the north, said she came to support students. "The institutions have been usurped and ... there is a lot of corruption. Elections are the solution, but I don't think he (Vucic) will want to go peacefully," she told Reuters. In the days ahead of the protest, police arrested about a dozen anti-government activists, charging them with undermining the constitution and terrorism. All denied the charges. The Belgrade rally coincides with St Vitus Day, venerated by most Serbs, which marks the 1389 Battle of Kosovo with Ottoman Turks.
Perth Now
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
Serbian police clash with anti-government protesters
Serbian police have clashed with anti-government protesters demanding snap elections and an end to the 12-year rule of President Aleksandar Vucic. Police deployed scores of officers in riot gear around government buildings, parliament and nearby Pionirski Park, where throngs of Vucic's backers from across the nation gathered in a counter-protest. After the protest ended, some who wanted to confront Vucic's supporters threw bottles, rocks and flares at the police, who used force to disperse them in several locations across Belgrade's city centre. The protesters shouted: "Keep the shields down," calling on the police to stop intervening. Police detained several dozen demonstrators, while six officers were reported injured in clashes, Dragan Vasiljevic, the director of police, told a press conference late on Saturday local time. Vucic said protesters attempted to topple the state. "They wanted to topple Serbia, and they have failed," he wrote on his Instagram page. In a statement, students accused the government of escalating tensions. "They (authorities) ... opted for violence and repression against the people. Every radicalisation of the situation is their responsibility," students wrote on the X social media platform. In a statement, Ivica Dacic, the interior minister, said police will act to maintain public order. "The police will take all measures to establish public order and peace ... and apply all its powers to repel attacks, and arrest all those who attacked the police," Dacic said. Months of protests across the nation, including university shutdowns, have rattled Vucic, a populist, whose second term ends in 2027, when there are also parliamentary elections scheduled. Vucic's opponents accuse him and his allies of ties to organised crime, violence against rivals and curbing media freedoms, something they deny. Earlier on Saturday, Vucic said unspecified "foreign powers" were behind the protest. He said police should be restrained, but warned that violence will not be tolerated. "The country will be defended, and thugs will face justice," he told reporters in Belgrade. Sladjana Lojanovic, 37, a farmer from the town of Sid in the north, said she came to support students. "The institutions have been usurped and ... there is a lot of corruption. Elections are the solution, but I don't think he (Vucic) will want to go peacefully," she told Reuters. In the days ahead of the protest, police arrested about a dozen anti-government activists, charging them with undermining the constitution and terrorism. All denied the charges. The Belgrade rally coincides with St Vitus Day, venerated by most Serbs, which marks the 1389 Battle of Kosovo with Ottoman Turks.
Powys County Times
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Serbian riot police fire tear gas at anti-government protesters
Riot police fired tear gas at thousands of anti-government protesters in Serbia's capital on Saturday. The major rally in Belgrade against Serbia's populist president, Aleksandar Vucic, was called to back the demand for an early parliamentary election. The protest, attended by tens of thousands of people, was held after nearly eight months of persistent demonstrations led by Serbia's university students that have rattled Mr Vucic's firm grip on power in the Balkan country. The huge crowd chanted 'We want elections!' as they filled the capital's central Slavija Square and several blocks around it, with many unable to reach the venue. Tensions were high before and during the gathering. Riot police were deployed around government buildings and close to a camp of Mr Vucic's loyalists in central Belgrade. Skirmishes erupted between riot officers and groups of protesters near the camp. Students gave speeches to the crowd. One, who didn't give her name, said: 'Elections are a clear way out of the social crisis caused by the deeds of the government, which is undoubtedly against the interests of their own people. 'Today, on June 28 2025, we declare the current authorities illegitimate.' At the end of the official part of the rally, students told the crowd to 'take freedom into your own hands.' University students have been a key force behind nationwide anti-corruption demonstrations that started after a renovated rail station canopy collapsed, killing 16 people on November 1 2024. Many blamed the concrete roof crash on rampant government corruption and negligence in state infrastructure projects, leading to recurring mass protests. 'We are here today because we cannot take it any more,' Darko Kovacevic said. 'This has been going on for too long. We are mired in corruption.' Mr Vucic and his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party have repeatedly refused the demand for an early vote and accused protesters of planning to spur violence on orders from abroad, which they didn't specify. The president's authorities have launched a crackdown on Serbia's striking universities and other opponents, while increasing pressure on independent media as they tried to curb the demonstrations. While numbers have shrunk in recent weeks, the massive showing for Saturday's anti-Vucic rally suggested that the resolve persists, despite relentless pressure and after nearly eight months of almost daily protests. Serbian police, which is firmly controlled by Mr Vucic's government, said that 36,000 people were present at the start of the protest on Saturday. Saturday marks St Vitus Day, a religious holiday and the date when Serbs mark a 14th-century battle against Ottoman Turks in Kosovo that was the start of hundreds of years of Turkish rule, holding symbolic importance. In their speeches, some of the speakers at the student rally on Saturday evoked the theme, which was also used to fuel Serbian nationalism in the 1990s, which later led to the incitement of ethnic wars following the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. Hours before the student-led rally, Mr Vucic's party bused in scores of its own supporters to Belgrade from other parts of the country, many wearing T-shirts with slogans including: 'We won't give up Serbia'. They were joining a camp of Mr Vucic's loyalists in central Belgrade, where they have been staying in tents since mid-March. In a show of business as usual, Mr Vucic handed out presidential awards in the capital to people he deemed worthy, including artists and journalists. 'People need not worry — the state will be defended and thugs brought to justice,' Mr Vucic told reporters on Saturday. Serbian presidential and parliamentary elections are due in 2027. Earlier this week, police arrested several people accused of allegedly plotting to overthrow the government and banned entry into the country, without explanation, to several people from Croatia and a theatre director from Montenegro. Serbia's railway company halted train service over an alleged bomb threat, in what critics said was an apparent bid to prevent people from travelling to Belgrade for the rally. Authorities made similar moves back in March, before what was the biggest ever anti-government protest in the Balkan country, which drew hundreds of thousands of people. Mr Vucic's loyalists then set up a camp in a park outside his office, which still stands. The otherwise peaceful gathering on March 15 came to an abrupt end when part of the crowd suddenly scattered in panic, triggering allegations that authorities used a sonic weapon against peaceful protesters — an accusation officials have denied. Mr Vucic, a former extreme nationalist, has become increasingly authoritarian since coming to power more than a decade ago. Though he formally says he wants Serbia to join the European Union, critics say he has stifled democratic freedoms as he strengthened ties with Russia and China.
Glasgow Times
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Serbian riot police fire tear gas at anti-government protesters
The major rally in Belgrade against Serbia's populist president, Aleksandar Vucic, was called to back the demand for an early parliamentary election. Tens of thousands of people turned out (Marko Drobnjakovic/AP) The protest, attended by tens of thousands of people, was held after nearly eight months of persistent demonstrations led by Serbia's university students that have rattled Mr Vucic's firm grip on power in the Balkan country. The huge crowd chanted 'We want elections!' as they filled the capital's central Slavija Square and several blocks around it, with many unable to reach the venue. Tensions were high before and during the gathering. Riot police were deployed around government buildings and close to a camp of Mr Vucic's loyalists in central Belgrade. Skirmishes erupted between riot officers and groups of protesters near the camp. Students gave speeches to the crowd. One, who didn't give her name, said: 'Elections are a clear way out of the social crisis caused by the deeds of the government, which is undoubtedly against the interests of their own people. 'Today, on June 28 2025, we declare the current authorities illegitimate.' At the end of the official part of the rally, students told the crowd to 'take freedom into your own hands.' Skirmishes erupted between riot police and protesters (Marko Drobnjakovic/AP) University students have been a key force behind nationwide anti-corruption demonstrations that started after a renovated rail station canopy collapsed, killing 16 people on November 1 2024. Many blamed the concrete roof crash on rampant government corruption and negligence in state infrastructure projects, leading to recurring mass protests. 'We are here today because we cannot take it any more,' Darko Kovacevic said. 'This has been going on for too long. We are mired in corruption.' Mr Vucic and his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party have repeatedly refused the demand for an early vote and accused protesters of planning to spur violence on orders from abroad, which they didn't specify. The president's authorities have launched a crackdown on Serbia's striking universities and other opponents, while increasing pressure on independent media as they tried to curb the demonstrations. The rally fell on St Vitus Day, a religious holiday that holds symbolic importance in the country (Marko Drobnjakovic/AP) While numbers have shrunk in recent weeks, the massive showing for Saturday's anti-Vucic rally suggested that the resolve persists, despite relentless pressure and after nearly eight months of almost daily protests. Serbian police, which is firmly controlled by Mr Vucic's government, said that 36,000 people were present at the start of the protest on Saturday. Saturday marks St Vitus Day, a religious holiday and the date when Serbs mark a 14th-century battle against Ottoman Turks in Kosovo that was the start of hundreds of years of Turkish rule, holding symbolic importance. In their speeches, some of the speakers at the student rally on Saturday evoked the theme, which was also used to fuel Serbian nationalism in the 1990s, which later led to the incitement of ethnic wars following the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. Hours before the student-led rally, Mr Vucic's party bused in scores of its own supporters to Belgrade from other parts of the country, many wearing T-shirts with slogans including: 'We won't give up Serbia'. They were joining a camp of Mr Vucic's loyalists in central Belgrade, where they have been staying in tents since mid-March. In a show of business as usual, Mr Vucic handed out presidential awards in the capital to people he deemed worthy, including artists and journalists. 'People need not worry — the state will be defended and thugs brought to justice,' Mr Vucic told reporters on Saturday. The protesters called for an early election in the country (Marko Drobnjakovic/AP) Serbian presidential and parliamentary elections are due in 2027. Earlier this week, police arrested several people accused of allegedly plotting to overthrow the government and banned entry into the country, without explanation, to several people from Croatia and a theatre director from Montenegro. Serbia's railway company halted train service over an alleged bomb threat, in what critics said was an apparent bid to prevent people from travelling to Belgrade for the rally. Authorities made similar moves back in March, before what was the biggest ever anti-government protest in the Balkan country, which drew hundreds of thousands of people. Mr Vucic's loyalists then set up a camp in a park outside his office, which still stands. The otherwise peaceful gathering on March 15 came to an abrupt end when part of the crowd suddenly scattered in panic, triggering allegations that authorities used a sonic weapon against peaceful protesters — an accusation officials have denied. Mr Vucic, a former extreme nationalist, has become increasingly authoritarian since coming to power more than a decade ago. Though he formally says he wants Serbia to join the European Union, critics say he has stifled democratic freedoms as he strengthened ties with Russia and China.
