In Belgrade, the violent protest of the opposition ended late yesterday evening, with supporters besieging the Town Hall for hours, trying on several occasions to enter the building.
For the seventh consecutive day, ‘Serbia against violence’, the main opposition group, had organized an anti-government demonstration to denounce the alleged fraud in the parliamentary and administrative elections of 17 December. But the rally, convened as usual in front of the headquarters of the electoral commission, quickly degenerated into a violent protest, with several thousand demonstrators heading towards the nearby Town Hall with the intention of attacking it. Many tried on several occasions to cross the fences and force their way into the building, to defend which huge police forces in riot gear arrived.
Against the violent demonstrators who have long targeted the Town Hall with a constant throwing of eggs, plastic bottles, tomatoes and other objects, the police used tear gas in an attempt to disperse the groups of troublemakers.
Some entrance doors to the Town Hall and several windows were destroyed. In the end the police forces managed to create a solid cordon of officers all around the Town Hall, pushing the demonstrators back into the side streets and towards Slavija Square.
As President Vucic reported in the evening, who called an urgent meeting of the National Security Council, at least 35 violent demonstrators were arrested on charges of attempting to attack institutions. Several police officers were injured, two seriously, hit by stones and other objects. According to the outgoing mayor of Belgrade Aleksandar Sapic, what happened last night in Belgrade can be compared to the 2014 Majdan uprising in Kiev, which began with the anti-government protests of early 2014 in the central square of the Ukrainian capital.
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2023-12-25 02:20:00
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