In Užice, citizens and activists gathered in the town square ahead of a rally of the Serbian Progressive Party, which Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić was also announced to attend. However, as the N1 portal reports, Marko Miletić from the Mašina portal stated that a confrontation broke out between the two sides, and SNS rally stewards beat several citizens.
After the situation calmed down, another escalation occurred when police launched a new intervention, namely another pushback of citizens from Partizanska Square in Užice, Marko Miletić from the Mašina portal reported.
Miletić said that SNS officials and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić are expected to arrive, and that this was probably the reason for the renewed pushback of citizens.
We remind you that this was the second police intervention in Užice during the day, while earlier a confrontation occurred when SNS stewards beat several citizens in the center of Užice.
Marko Miletić previously explained that citizens in Užice had tried to hold their previously scheduled rally at 3 p.m. However, he added, police were preventing people from reaching the gathering, which was effectively a counter-rally to the SNS rally.
Nevertheless, Miletić said, some people managed to arrive, after which police cordons began pushing them farther away from Partizanska Square in Užice – tear gas was also used, Miletić said.
And then, he said, SNS rally stewards beat several citizens – which the Mašina portal also documented in a video recording.
“We saw members of the security detail, that is, stewards at the SNS rally, trying to clear the surrounding cafés on the square itself, and a confrontation occurred with citizens who refused to leave those cafés. Some citizens were beaten, while the police watched until the last moment, when police inspectors arrived and separated the people,” Miletić said.
He added that the situation in Užice is currently calm – but there is a sense of tension.
He also said that, by all indications, the rally will take place – but that no one can say with certainty when Aleksandar Vučić is expected to arrive.
Earlier, speaking about his trips to Užice and Novi Sad, Vučić said that he scheduled rallies in those cities precisely after claims that he “dared not go there.”
“I’ve heard so many places where they said I wasn’t allowed to go, and I went to every single one. Since they said I wasn’t allowed to go to Užice and Novi Sad, I’ve now scheduled major people’s rallies precisely in Užice and Novi Sad,” Vučić told the media, as the Nova portal recalls.
“Student dormitories and hotels reserved for the Gendarmerie”
Užice representative of the Green-Left Front Vladan Sinđić previously told Mašina that the situation in the city was “extraordinary.” According to him, banners and flags were being put up around the city ahead of Vučić’s arrival, a stage was being assembled and equipment for broadcasting the rally was being prepared.
He also said there was information that accommodation capacities in student dormitories and hotels around Užice had been reserved for a large number of Gendarmerie officers.
“We also have information that student dormitories and hotels around Užice are filled with Gendarmerie officers, several thousand Gendarmerie members, judging by the number of beds being secured for them,” Sinđić told Mašina.
Parking banned due to the rally
Ahead of today’s gatherings, parking restrictions were also introduced in certain parts of the city, the Nova portal reports.
Citizens posted photos on social media of notices left on cars near the stadium, according to which the parking area was supposed to be cleared by 7 a.m. on August 28 and remain empty until the same time on August 30.
According to the notices, vehicles left in the parking area would be removed by a tow truck, while the notice was signed by the parking service of JKP “Bioktoš”.
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Source: N1 Photo: Printscreen Instagram @glas_uzica
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