The well-known American media outlet NBC News is reporting on new clashes between anti-government protesters and supporters of President Aleksandar Vučić, which were recorded in several Serbian cities on Wednesday. According to this media, the violence has been going on for a second day, with incidents reported in Novi Sad, Belgrade, Vrbas, and other cities.
NBC emphasizes that Vučić’s supporters were the first to throw flares, rocks, and bottles at citizens, while the demonstrators responded with various objects. The police repeatedly used tear gas, and in Vrbas, dozens of people were injured, including 16 police officers.
The article recalls that the protests in Serbia began in November after a tragedy in Novi Sad, when a train station canopy collapse killed 16 people. This raised suspicions of corruption in state infrastructure projects. Since then, the protests, mainly led by students, have gathered tens of thousands of citizens across the country.
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NBC specifically points out that the government and pro-government media are calling the protesters “terrorists” and “thugs,” even though the protests in previous months have been largely peaceful. However, in recent days, Vučić’s supporters have been organizing counter-rallies which, according to the American media outlet, heightens fears of further violence and clashes among citizens.
The demonstrators are demanding early parliamentary elections and the removal of Interior Minister Ivica Dačić, whom they accuse of responsibility for the police’s brutal actions. Vučić, on the other hand, refuses to call elections and claims the protests are violent.
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Source: Serbiantimes, Foto: ATA images