“AN OCEAN DIVIDES US, A STRUGGLE UNITES US”: Serbs from Chicago supported students for the third time and paid tribute to the victims! (PHOTO+VIDEO)

Today, in front of the Consulate of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago, the third, and at the same time the largest, gathering of support for student protests in Serbia was held.

After the gathering, Serbs living in the Chicago region were silent for 15 minutes, paying tribute to the victims of the tragedy at the Railway Station in Novi Sad.

They carried banners in their hands such as: “It was heard in Windy City that there will be no surrender”, “An ocean divides us, a struggle unites us”, “Healthy minds for a healthy Serbia”, “I wasn’t paid to be here”, “Aunts from America”, “I believe that love hasn’t said goodbye” and others…

…and the most interesting was one held by a 2-year-old boy on his father’s shoulders, which read: “I would like to spend my college fund in my homeland”.

Lenka Doyle was the oldest demonstrator in the crowd, and she tells the Serbian Times that she came to support what she believes is right:

-Although I have lived here for a long time, my heart is there. I have family, and friends in Serbia… I believe that we from the diaspora must say what we think and show those people there that they are not alone and that together we can do everything. I am not a grandmother to any student there, but I feel all these children on the streets as my own and I urge them to persevere, because the struggle will be long and difficult, and only the most persistent will win, said grandmother Lenka.

– I came here from Serbia to see my son and my heart is full when I see that the diaspora thinks of us there and shows their attitude. The gathering is well organized and I am glad that there are more and more people every week, a lady who introduced herself as Ljiljana told us.

Director and screenwriter Ana Lazarević from Chicago believes that Serbs in the diaspora are ambassadors of our people:

We need to draw attention to this issue and explain to Americans what is happening in Serbia. And, of course, to show solidarity with our people across the ocean. I sincerely hope that our support means something to them and that they feel how much we feel for them here, how much we care. When asked what she wants to say to students in Serbia, she emphasizes:

I have nothing to say to them, I can only learn from them. And I would like them to know how much all this affects us, how healing it is for all our collective traumas. This awakens consciousness in all of us, us here and them there. After paying tribute to the victims, the participants of the gathering dispersed peacefully, and the Chicago police showed a lot of understanding for the Serbian demonstrators, who partially blocked one of the busiest streets in the city center.

A new protest is scheduled for next week, at the same time (1 pm) at the same place, in front of the Consulate building.