Thousands of anti-government protesters again clashed with police in Serbia’s capital on Friday, as days of unrest fuelled fears of a worsening crackdown on a months-long push for early elections.
After a tense stand-off between right-wing government loyalists and the larger crowd of protesters, fireworks, tear gas, and stun grenades erupted among the anti-graft demonstrators, according to an AFP journalist in the crowd.
It sparked a series of clashes with riot police in central Belgrade on Friday, and marks the fourth straight night of violence between police and rival groups in the Balkan nation.
Almost daily protests — some drawing hundreds of thousands — have gripped Serbia since November, after a railway station roof collapse crushed 16 people to death.
The tragedy became a symbol of deep-rooted corruption in the Balkan nation, as frustrated demands for a transparent investigation grew into calls for early elections.
The mostly peaceful demonstrations escalated this week as large groups of pro-government supporters, many masked and some armed with batons and fireworks, attacked protesters.
“I don’t want to live in a country of police repression,” 46-year-old Zeljko from Belgrade told AFP, as he stood with protesters outside government buildings before the violence.
A hundred metres away, dozens of government supporters, dressed in black T-shirts, aimed green lasers at the crowd, an apparent attempt to provoke the larger group.
“They beat the people and protect criminals with crowbars. I came to say we won’t accept that,” Zeljko said, referring to alleged police violence against protesters.
Dozens have been arrested at rallies around the country in recent days, after violence between the groups ended in the ransacking of the ruling party’s offices in the northern city of Novi Sad.
While opposition MPs and activists have accused pro-government “thugs” of brutal attacks, sharing images of graphic injuries sustained at the rallies.
Several videos shared online showed police striking unarmed protesters with batons. In one video from Thursday night, around 20 officers surround and beat a man while he is on the ground.
Police have rejected allegations of excessive force, instead accusing demonstrators of attacking their members, with over 120 officers injured in violence over the past few nights.
“All those who have spent these past days spreading lies about police brutality should comment on these figures,” Interior Minister Ivica Dacic told journalists on Friday.
Similarly, President Aleksandar Vucic has denied that his supporters are behind the violence, instead blaming the anti-corruption movement, which he routinely labels “terrorists”.
But protesters told AFP they felt police were unfairly protecting Vucic’s supporters while targeting the student-led movement for arrest.
“We are completely powerless because the police are working with the criminals,” said 52-year-old Nevena.
“They’ve hijacked the state and we’re trying to take it back.”
While the protests have so far led to the resignation of the prime minister and the collapse of his cabinet, Vucic remains at the helm of a reshuffled government.
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