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2w ago

Protests Turn Violent as Pro-Government Groups Clash With Demonstrators Across Serbia

Authorities expanded security deployments to quell the worst unrest since the demonstrations began nine months ago.

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The rival groups hurled flares, rocks, firecrackers and bottles at each other in Belgrade.
Serbia has been gripped by anti-government protests since November after a deadly railway station roof collapse blamed on institutional corruption
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Overview

  • Clashes first broke out Tuesday evening in Vrbas and quickly spread to cities including Novi Sad, Belgrade, Backa Palanka, Nis, Kraljevo, Kragujevac and Cacak.
  • Footage showed masked ruling party supporters throwing flares, rocks and fireworks at student-led protesters who responded with stones and bottles.
  • Police reported dozens of people wounded, including 16 officers, and detained several individuals as riot units moved in to separate the opposing camps.
  • Students are demanding early parliamentary elections and the ouster of Interior Minister Ivica Dacic over alleged corruption tied to last November’s Novi Sad rail canopy collapse.
  • President Aleksandar Vucic has characterized the demonstrations as violent threats to order and has refused to accede to protesters’ calls for snap polls.