Latest news with #Vrbas
The Guardian
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Dozens injured in Serbia as protesters clash with pro-government supporters
Clashes between rival groups of protesters in Serbia left dozens injured overnight, police said on Thursday, as months of anti-government demonstrations boiled over into street violence for a second night. A wave of anti-corruption protests has gripped Serbia since November, when the collapse of the Novi Sad railway station roof killed 16 people, a tragedy widely blamed on entrenched corruption. Protesters again gathered in several cities across Serbia late on Wednesday, mainly in response to an attack by ruling party supporters on demonstrators in the town of Vrbas, about 160km (100 miles) north of the capital, Belgrade. For the second night running, large groups of pro-government supporters, most wearing masks, confronted protesters. The two groups hurled bottles, stones and fireworks at each other. Police arrested nearly 50 people across the country, and about 30 riot police were injured. The worst violence was reported in parts of Belgrade and Novi Sad, where the protest movement first began. One man, later identified as a military police officer, fired a pistol into the air as protesters approached the ruling party's offices in Novi Sad, causing panic. Footage also appeared to show supporters of the ruling Serbian Progressive party launching fireworks at protesters gathered outside the party's headquarters there. Police intervened with teargas, and stun grenades could also be heard. Frustrated with government inaction, protesters have demanded an investigation into the Novi Sad tragedy and piled pressure on the Serbian president, Aleksandar Vučić, to call early elections. Over the past nine months, thousands of mostly peaceful, student-led demonstrations have been held, some attracting hundreds of thousands. This week's violence, however, marks a significant escalation and indicates the increasing strain on Vučić's populist government, in power for 13 years. Since 28 June, when about 140,000 demonstrators gathered in Belgrade, the government has responded with an 'intensifying crackdown' on activists, according to a statement by UN human rights experts released earlier this month. Protesters and those linked to the movement have faced a 'troubling pattern of repression' including excessive police force, intimidation and arbitrary arrest, the experts said. Vučić has remained defiant, repeatedly rejecting calls for early elections and denouncing the demonstrations as part of a foreign plot to overthrow him. After the Novi Sad shooting incident, officials confirmed the man was a member of a special military police unit usually tasked with protecting government ministers. He had fired his weapon while 'on a routine assignment when attacked by about 100 people', officials said. Sign up to Headlines Europe A digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day after newsletter promotion The officer told journalists on Thursday: 'I used my firearm and fired a shot into the air in a safe direction. At that moment, the attackers scattered.' Footage widely shared online showed a man wearing a black T-shirt and no clear military insignia pointing a pistol into the air near protesters. Military officials said that seven members of the same military police unit had also been injured, while on duty to 'protect a specific person', but gave no further details. Student protesters accused the police of protecting pro-government supporters while doing little to stop the attacks on their own gatherings. 'The authorities tried to provoke a civil war last night,' the students wrote on their official Instagram page. They announced further protests for Thursday night. Vučić, who visited pro-government encampments overnight, denied his supporters had started the violence. 'No one attacked them anywhere,' he said of the anti-government protesters, speaking at a late-night press conference. 'They went everywhere to attack those who think differently.' While the protests have so far led to the resignation of the prime minister and the collapse of his cabinet, Vučić remains at the helm of a reshuffled government.
Al Jazeera
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Dozens injured in Serbia as clashes erupt at antigovernment protests
Clashes have erupted as opponents and supporters of the Serbian government faced off, each side staging its own demonstrations, as sustained protests against populist President Aleksandar Vucic have now gone on for more than nine months. The clashes first began on Tuesday night in Vrbas, northwest of the capital Belgrade, where riot police separated the two groups outside the governing Serbian Progressive Party offices in the town. The student-led protests in Serbia first started in November after a train station canopy collapsed in the northern city of Novi Sad, killing 16 people, triggering furious accusations of corruption in state infrastructure projects. Serbia's president, other government officials and pro-government media have repeatedly described the protesters as 'terrorists', although protests since November have been largely peaceful. Led by university students, the protesters are demanding that Vucic call an early parliamentary election, which he has refused to do. Images from the scene showed government supporters throwing flares, rocks and bottles at the protesters, who hurled back various objects. Police said that dozens of people were injured, including 16 police officers. Similar incidents were reported at protests in other parts of the country. Police said that several people were detained in Vrbas. Police Commissioner Dragan Vasiljevic told state-run RTS television that the protesters 'came to attack' the governing party's supporters outside the party's offices. Protesters have said that government supporters attacked them first in Vrbas and also further south in Backa Palanka and later in Novi Sad and the southern city of Nis. In Belgrade, riot police pushed away protesters who gathered in a downtown area. Vucic said at a news conference on Wednesday with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker that pro-democracy protests in Serbia have been 'very violent and were violent last night'. Protests have, since November, drawn hundreds of thousands of people, rattling Vucic's long-running presidency. The Serbian leader's supporters have recently started organising counterdemonstrations, fuelling fears of further violence. Serbia is formally seeking European Union membership, but Vucic has maintained strong ties with Russia and China, and has been accused of stifling democratic freedoms since coming to power 13 years ago.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Clashes erupt at Serbian anti-government protests, with dozens injured
An image taken from video shows fireworks flying as clashes erupted at protests in Vrbas, Serbia, Tuesday, Aug. 12, between opponents and supporters of the government in an escalation of tensions following more than nine months of persistent demonstrations against populist President Aleksandar Vucic. (N1 Serbia via AP) BELGRADE, Serbia — Clashes erupted at protests in Serbia between opponents and supporters of the government in an escalation of tensions following more than nine months of persistent demonstrations against populist President Aleksandar Vucic. Incidents first started on Tuesday evening in Vrbas, northwest of the capital Belgrade, where riot police separated protesters from the opposed camps outside the ruling Serbian Progressive Party offices in the town. Video footages from the scene showed government supporters throwing flares, rocks and bottles at the protesters, who hurled back various objects. Police said dozens of people were injured, including 16 policemen. Similar incidents were reported at protests in other parts of the country. The student-led protests in Serbia first started in November after a train station canopy collapse in the northern city of Novi Sad killed 16 people, triggering accusations of corruption in state infrastructure projects. Protests have since drawn hundreds of thousands of people, shaking Vucic's firm grip on power in Serbia. The president's supporters have recently started organizing counter-demonstrations, fueling fears of violence. Police said several people were detained after the clashes in Vrbas. Police Commissioner Dragan Vasiljevic told the state RTS television that the protesters 'came to attack' the ruling party supporters outside the party offices. Protesters have said government supporters attacked them first in Vrbas and also further south in Backa Palanka and later in Novi Sad and the southern city of Nis. In Belgrade, riot police pushed away protesters who gathered in a downtown area. Protests in Serbia since November have been largely peaceful. Led by university students, the protesters are demanding that Vucic calls an early parliamentary election which he has refused. Protesting students have also called for the ouster of Interior Minister Ivica Dacic over recent violence at demonstrations. Serbia is formally seeking European Union membership but Vucic has maintained strong ties with Russia and China. He has faced accusations of stifling democratic freedoms since coming to power 13 years ago. The Associated Press
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Clashes erupt at Serbian anti-government protests, with dozens injured
BELGRADE: Clashes erupted at protests in Serbia between opponents and supporters of the government in an escalation of tensions following more than nine months of persistent demonstrations against populist President Aleksandar Vucic. Incidents first started on Tuesday evening in Vrbas, northwest of the capital Belgrade, where riot police separated protesters from the opposed camps outside the ruling Serbian Progressive Party offices in the town. Video footages from the scene showed government supporters throwing flares, rocks and bottles at the protesters, who hurled back various objects. Police said dozens of people were injured, including 16 policemen. Similar incidents were reported at protests in other parts of the country. The student-led protests in Serbia first started in November after a train station canopy collapse in the northern city of Novi Sad killed 16 people, triggering accusations of corruption in state infrastructure projects. Protests have since drawn hundreds of thousands of people, shaking Vucic's firm grip on power in Serbia. The president's supporters have recently started organizing counter-demonstrations, fueling fears of violence. Police said several people were detained after the clashes in Vrbas. Police Commissioner Dragan Vasiljevic told the state RTS television that the protesters 'came to attack' the ruling party supporters outside the party offices. Protesters have said government supporters attacked them first in Vrbas and also further south in Backa Palanka and later in Novi Sad and the southern city of Nis. In Belgrade, riot police pushed away protesters who gathered in a downtown area. Protests in Serbia since November have been largely peaceful. Led by university students, the protesters are demanding that Vucic calls an early parliamentary election which he has refused. Protesting students have also called for the ouster of Interior Minister Ivica Dacic over recent violence at demonstrations. Serbia is formally seeking European Union membership but Vucic has maintained strong ties with Russia and China. He has faced accusations of stifling democratic freedoms since coming to power 13 years ago. Persistent student-led protests against Vucic's populist government have been held almost daily since November when a fatal train station canopy crash killed 16 people, triggering a wave of anti-corruption
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Clashes erupt at Serbian anti-government protests, with dozens injured
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Clashes erupted at protests in Serbia between opponents and supporters of the government in an escalation of tensions following more than nine months of persistent demonstrations against populist President Aleksandar Vucic. Incidents first started on Tuesday evening in Vrbas, northwest of the capital Belgrade, where riot police separated protesters from the opposed camps outside the ruling Serbian Progressive Party offices in the town. Video footages from the scene showed government supporters throwing flares, rocks and bottles at the protesters, who hurled back various objects. Police said dozens of people were injured, including 16 policemen. Similar incidents were reported at protests in other parts of the country. The student-led protests in Serbia first started in November after a train station canopy collapse in the northern city of Novi Sad killed 16 people, triggering accusations of corruption in state infrastructure projects. Protests have since drawn hundreds of thousands of people, shaking Vucic's firm grip on power in Serbia. The president's supporters have recently started organizing counter-demonstrations, fueling fears of violence. Police said several people were detained after the clashes in Vrbas. Police Commissioner Dragan Vasiljevic told the state RTS television that the protesters 'came to attack' the ruling party supporters outside the party offices. Protesters have said government supporters attacked them first in Vrbas and also further south in Backa Palanka and later in Novi Sad and the southern city of Nis. In Belgrade, riot police pushed away protesters who gathered in a downtown area. Protests in Serbia since November have been largely peaceful. Led by university students, the protesters are demanding that Vucic calls an early parliamentary election which he has refused. Protesting students have also called for the ouster of Interior Minister Ivica Dacic over recent violence at demonstrations. Serbia is formally seeking European Union membership but Vucic has maintained strong ties with Russia and China. He has faced accusations of stifling democratic freedoms since coming to power 13 years ago. Persistent student-led protests against Vucic's populist government have been held almost daily since November when a fatal train station canopy crash killed 16 people, triggering a wave of anti-corruption Solve the daily Crossword
