In Belgrade, a violent protest by
the opposition, whose supporters besieged the City Hall building
for hours trying to break into the building on several
occasions, ended late yesterday evening. For the seventh
consecutive day, 'Serbia Against Violence,' the largest
opposition cartel, had organized an anti-government rally to
denounce alleged fraud in the December 17 parliamentary and
local elections. But the rally, convened as usual in front of
the Election Commission headquarters, soon degenerated into a
violent protest, with several thousand demonstrators heading to
the nearby City Hall with the intention of storming it. Many on
several occasions tried to break through the fences and forcibly
penetrate the building, in defense of which large numbers of
police in riot gear flocked.
Against the violent demonstrators who have long targeted City
Hall with dense throwing of eggs, plastic bottles, tomatoes and
other objects, police used tear gas in an attempt to disperse
the groups of troublemakers.Some entrance doors to City Hall and
several windows were destroyed.Eventually police forces managed
to create a solid cordon of officers all around the City Hall
building, pushing protesters back into the side streets and
toward Slavija Square.As President Vucic, who called an urgent
meeting of the National Security Council, reported in the
evening, at least 35 violent demonstrators were arrested on
charges of attempting to assault institutions.Several police
officers were injured, two seriously, hit by the throwing of
rocks and other objects.
According to outgoing Belgrade Mayor Aleksandar Sapic, what
happened last night in Belgrade can be compared to the 2014
Majdan uprising in Kiev, which began with anti-government
protests in early 2014 in the Ukrainian capital's central
square.For Mayor Sapic, last night's events in Belgrade were
exceptional events of the utmost seriousness, having been aimed
at violently attacking institutional venues.President Vucic for
his part announced the harsh reaction of the institutions
against those who theorize and practice violent behavior.None of
the perpetrators will escape justice and legitimate punishment.
The West's attempts "to inflame the situation in Serbia are
obvious," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova
told Tass. "They are trying to inflame the situation using
'Maidan techniques,' it is obvious," she said referring to the
famous Kiev square of the Ukrainian uprising against then
pro-Russian President Viktor Janukovic.
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