Serbian riot police batter rock-hurling protesters outside parliament
Police used batons and horses to disperse rock-throwing protesters in Serbia’s capital last night as violence erupted for a second day amid claims that the president is manipulating the coronavirus crisis for his own gain.
President Aleksander Vucic brought in one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe in March in order to combat the virus, before prematurely declaring victory in May and lifting almost all restrictions – just in time for the election.
He won the June 21 vote by a landslide while continuing to insist that the virus was under control, before quickly reversing his stance and announcing that lockdown would have to be reimposed – sparking riots.
Vucic has now backtracked on the plan to reintroduce lockdown, but anger over his handling of the crisis and allegations that he covered up virus data during the election continues, with protesters fighting running battles with police in the capital Belgrade.
The protests have united people from both the left-wing and far-right in anger at Vucic, and saw activists attempt to storm the state assembly building.
Protesters throw projectiles at riot police outside Serbia’s National Assembly building in Belgrade during a demonstration against a weekend curfew announced to combat a resurgence of COVID-19 infections
Protesters set flares alight as they swarm the National Assembly building in Belgrade wearing face masks
Demonstrators face security forces during an anti-government rally in Belgrade, Serbia, today after President Aleksandar Vucic backtracked on his plans to reinstate a coronavirus lockdown
The clashes happened a day after protesters fought running battles with police in the capital and tried to enter the country’s parliament after Vucic announced that a weekend curfew would be reintroduced two months after it was first lifted
Riot police armed with batons and riot shields battle protestors charging Serbia’s National Assembly building in Belgrade today
Police vehicles are pictured during an anti-government rally, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in front of the parliament building in Belgrade
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Actor and leader of PSG movement Sergej Trifunovic receives help after being attacked by right wing protesters during an anti-government rally, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease in front of the parliament building in Belgrade, Serbia, today
Serbian security forces wearing gas masks in armoured trucks guard the area during clashes with protesters in Belgrade, Serbia, this evening
Police officers stand guard as demonstrators gather outside Serbia’s parliament building during the anti-government rally today
Protesters throw projectiles at riot police outside Serbia’s National Assembly in Belgrade as the demonstrations turned violent today
Serbian riot police clashes with protesters lighting flares and starting fires in the streets of Belgrade today
A demonstrator runs back through the smoke left by flares outside the parliament building in Belgrade today
Riot police battle flames caused by flares let off by protestors on the streets of Belgrade today
‘The government only seeks to protect its own interests, the people are collateral damage,’ said Jelina Jankovic, a 53-year-old who attended the rally.
Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won the June poll by a landslide in a vote boycotted by the main opposition.
Since then, coronavirus infections have shot up to more than 300 daily, overwhelming hospitals.
However, suggests that infections were already above 300-per-day even before the election, and Vucic’s administration covered up the spread until the vote was over. The official daily tally was less than 100.
The same data also suggests 388 deaths from the virus went unreported by the government between March and June, which is more than the country’s entire official death toll – which currently stands at 341.
‘We’ve had enough of the manipulating of the data of COVID-19’, said another protester Danijela Ognjenovic, referring to accusations that authorities are under-reporting the death toll.
After a peaceful start, Wednesday’s rally saw protesters hurl flares and other objects at police who responded with tear gas.
Police fired several rounds of tear gas at the protesters, some chanting ‘Resignation! Resignation!’ as they gathered in front of the downtown parliament building in the Serbian capital.
Some of the protesters briefly managed to enter the parliament by force, but were pushed back by riot police.
Police line up with riot shields as fires burn out behind them today as protestors descend on the city
A protestor pulls down a barrier on the steps of the National Assembly building as riot police line up to defend the building
President Aleksandar Vucic has backtracked on plans to reinstate a coronavirus lockdown in Belgrade after thousands protested and 슬롯사이트 violently clashed with police in the capital last night
Serbian opposition leaders attend the anti-government rally earlier today before the violence erupted
A women waves with Serbian nation flag as people gather for the demonstration this morning
Demonstrators march through the streets of Belgrade wearing face masks during the anti-government rally today
Riot police line up in in front of protestors before the march turned violent today
Thousands of Serbians demonstrate outside parliament after the reintroduction of the coronavirus lockdown yesterday
Demonstrators gather in front of the Serbian parliament building during a protest against a lockdown planned for Belgrade from this weekend
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The protesters responded by hurling flares, stones, bottles and eggs at the police. Several clashes erupted between some of the most extremist rioters apparently belonging to far-right groups and the baton-wielding police.
Police on horses and in armored vehicles intervened to drive the crowds back, setting up cordons and blocking the masses from returning to the square outside the parliament building.
Some protesters overturned garbage containers and set them on fire while trying to stop the police officers pushing them away.
Protesters also clashed with police in front of the state TV building. The broadcaster is accused by the opposition of having a pro-government bias. A number of police vehicles were set on fire.
Serbian police said 23 people were detained in the clashes that lasted for more than six hours.
Police chief Vladimir Rebic told state-run RTS television that authorities are working to identify more people who took part in the rioting that left 43 police officers and 17 demonstrators injured.
Mr Rebic said police showed ‘maximum restraint’ and reacted only when it was absolutely necessary.
The country’s Health Ministry said Tuesday that 13 people had died in 24 hours in Serbia and 299 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed.
Demonstrators light a flare as they gather during a protest at the Serbian parliament building against a lockdown planned for the capital this weekend to halt the spread of the coronavirus
Police officers use pepper spray on demonstrators in front of the Serbian parliament in Belgrade, Serbia on Tuesday
Thousands of protesters angry at the return of a weekend coronavirus curfew gather in front of the National Assembly building in Belgrade
This graph shows how coronavirus cases have increased in Serbia in recent days, almost reaching the levels seen in April
The death toll remains low compared to many European countries but has also spiked in recent days
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The government will reimpose a curfew as of Friday evening and it is expected to last until Monday morning. The decision has prompted fury
Protesters scuffle with police in front of the National Assembly building in Belgrade, on July 7, as Serbian police fired tear gas to disperse thousands of demonstrators angry at the return of a weekend coronavirus curfew
Serbian police officers disperse protesters in front of Serbian parliament building in Belgrade. The country’s Health Ministry said Tuesday that 13 people had died in 24 hours in Serbia and 299 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed
Some of the protesters briefly managed to enter the parliament by force, but were pushed back by riot police. The protesters responded by hurling flares, stones, bottles and eggs at the police
Protesters clash with security forces during a protest against restrictions imposed to stem spread of coronavirus in Belgrade
A demonstrator gestures in front of security forces during a protest against a lockdown planned for Belgrade from this weekend
An injured demonstrator receives aid as he lies on the stairs of the Serbian parliament building, during a protest against a lockdown
Serbia went from having one of Europe’s strictest lockdowns to a near-complete reopening at the beginning of May. Football and tennis matches were played in packed stands and a parliamentary election was held on June 21
The Serbian president angrily rejected widespread criticism that his insisting on holding an election led to the lifting of the earlier lockdown and the recent coronavirus case spike
Protesters run from tear gas in front of Serbian parliament building in Belgrade, Serbia on Tuesday evening as police try to disperse thousands
That brought the total to 16,719 confirmed cases and 330 virus-related deaths since the start of the pandemic in Serbia, which went from having one of Europe´s strictest lockdowns to a near-complete reopening at the beginning of May.
Earlier, President Aleksandar Vucic called the virus situation in Belgrade ‘alarming’ and ‘critical’ as the city’s hospitals neared their capacity limits after health officials reported highest single-day death toll from the coronavirus on Tuesday.
Some rights groups in Belgrade denounced what they described as police brutality. The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights urged citizens to come forward and offered legal aid.
Serbia went from having one of Europe’s strictest lockdowns to a near-complete reopening at the beginning of May.
Serbia went from having one of Europe’s strictest lockdowns to a near-complete reopening at the beginning of May
Many blame the autocratic Serbian president for lifting the previous lockdown measures just so he would cement his grip on power after parliamentary elections
President Aleksandar Vucic called the virus situation in Belgrade ‘alarming’ and ‘critical’ as the city’s hospitals neared their capacity limits
Thousands of people protested the Serbian president’s announcement that a lockdown will be reintroduced after the Balkan country reported its highest single-day death toll from the coronavirus
Football and tennis matches were played in packed stands and a parliamentary election was held on June 21 despite warnings from experts that the mass gatherings without social distancing could lead to a new coronavirus wave.
‘We have probably relaxed too much. Everyone thought it was all over,’ Mr Vucic said, angrily rejecting widespread criticism that his insisting on holding the election led to the lifting of the earlier lockdown and the recent coronavirus case spike.
Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic denounced the protest, saying the state will protect law and order and accused opposition politicians of being behind the storming of parliament.
‘I strongly condemn the vandalism of politicians who are behind the violent break into the Serbian Parliament at the moment when the state and the health system face the toughest blow from the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic,’ Brnabic said.
Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic speaks during a press conference in Belgrade defending his actions over the virus
Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic denounced the protest and insisted that the state will protect law and order
Protesters gather in front of the Serbian parliament in Belgrade, Serbia, Tuesday, July 7, 2020. Thousands of people protested the Serbian president’s announcement that a lockdown will be reintroduced after the Balkan country reported its highest single-day death toll from the coronavirus Tuesday. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)
Serbian police officers guard the parliament building in Belgrade, Serbia, Tuesday as thousands of protesters descend on it
Earlier in the day, Vucic said he was still in favour of a weekend lockdown but that a government crisis team would ‘decide tomorrow’.
‘There will definitely be tightening of the measures for Belgrade’ though the ‘crisis team seems to think that there should be no curfew’, he said, distancing himself from the decision.
The 50-year-old branded the protesters as ‘fascists’ and said there were suspicions of ‘meddling of foreign intelligence’, without providing any evidence.
Vucic also conceded that some police officers, who were accused of excessive force on Tuesday night, ‘failed’ and that they would be held accountable.
Scenes of police brutality were captured on TV, including an incident on Tuesday in which officers used batons to beat three men sitting peacefully on a bench.
Serbian police officers clash with protesters in front of the Serbian parliament in Belgrade, Serbia on Tuesday evening
Thousands of people protested the Serbian president’s announcement that a lockdown will be reintroduced after the Balkan country reported its highest single-day death toll from the coronavirus
Protesters run from tear gas in front of Serbian parliament building in Belgrade, Serbia on Tuesday after clashes with police
Serbian police officers guard Serbian parliament building in Belgrade, Serbia, Tuesday, July 7, 2020. Thousands of people protested the Serbian president’s announcement that a lockdown will be reintroduced
The Council of Europe’s Human Rights Commission Dunja Mijatovic condemned the ‘violent dispersal of demonstrators’, saying it ‘raises serious human rights concerns’.
Serbian police chief Vladimir Rebic, however, said officers ‘used force only when it was used against us’, adding that some 40 police were injured the first night.
The new spike of coronavirus cases comes two months after Serbia lifted almost all restrictions to allow major sporting events with thousands of spectators and national elections in June.
In the past two weeks daily infections have shot up, while the country reported its deadliest day yet on Tuesday with 13 fatalities.
The government has reported nearly 17,000 infections and 330 deaths in a population of seven million.
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