Tens of thousands of protestors blocked Belgrade as they joined the “Serbia against violence” protest before the National Assembly on Friday – the third and biggest in a series of protests since the country was shaken by two mass shootings that left 18 dead and 21 injured two weeks ago.
The protests, widely considered anti-government, started after two mass shootings in two days on 3 and 4 May. The government has since announced measures aimed at tightening gun control laws.
“The blockade is the only non-violent expression of civil disobedience that affects this regime. Therefore, I tell this regime that we are ready to block Serbia. Serbia must stop for this regime to leave,” Jelena Mihajlović told the rally.
“We are here because we want Serbia without violence. Isn’t that clear to everyone? However, none of these goals is possible without functioning institutions,” she added.
“Those who lead the country and have absolute power, and therefore absolute responsibility, do not want to hear the demands of these protests, and we must not allow them to play with our children’s lives”, she continued.
The protestors reiterated their demands during the protest, blocking Gazela Bridge and Branko’s Bridge, which included the replacement of all current members of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media, the cancellation of TV programmes that promote violence, and the ban of print media that promotes aggression and violates the journalistic code of ethics.
They are also calling for the replacement of the Broadcasting Agency’s management and for national broadcasters TV Pink and TV Happy to be replaced, as, in the protestors’ words, they are breaking the law and promoting violence and immorality.
Protestors are also calling for Internal Affairs Minister Bratislav Gašić and the chief of BIA, Aleksandar Vulin, to be replaced and have announced the next protest for Saturday.
The opposition protesters in Belgrade also chanted slogans calling Vucic to “go” and “resign.”
The ruling party widely rejected their demands and said foreign secret services were manipulating the protests. Supporters of President Aleksander Vucic called a counterprotest in a town north of Belgrade, attended by thousands of his supporters.
(Milena Antonijević and Aleksandra Vrbica/EURACTIV.rs)
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