In Belgrade, citizens gathered in protest at the Serbian government tonight, at the call of students in the blockade, and supporters of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) gathered at nearby party offices.
The students in the blockade had previously called, on Instagram, for a protest in Belgrade, under the title “We are not punching bags”.
Citizens blocked traffic on the corner of Nemanjine and Kneza Miloša streets, and there were no uniformed police there, but there were plainclothes police, N1 television reported at the beginning of the protest.
“Pump,” shouted the citizens gathered at the protest in front of the Government building
SNS activists were also gathered at Kneza Miloša, pointing green lasers at the citizens gathered in front of the Government, according to the website of that television.
They formed a cordon in front of the SNS, on the corner of Birčaninova and Kneza Miloša streets.
Then the Gendarmerie at the General Staff was positioned between two groups, on one side of the demonstrators, and on the other, presumably, SNS supporters. As on the previous day, their backs were turned towards the SNS supporters, and their masked faces towards students and citizens.
When the Gendarmerie cordon was placed between the two groups, the gathered demonstrators protested.
They chanted insults at them, as well as at the President of Serbia, and at some point the Gendarmerie began to push them back towards the Serbian Government building.
At one point, plastic bottles flew from the demonstrators towards the Gendarmerie, according to the television station’s website.
A glass bottle also flew and broke on the roadway, and most citizens at that moment protested against such behavior by individuals.
They tried to stop them, telling them not to do it, but at one point, a man in a wheelchair practically stepped out in front of the Gendarmerie, protecting them with his body.
In the meantime, after the New Belgrade and Zemun groups merged, the column headed across Gazela towards the city center.
After gathering in front of the Novi Sad police headquarters, citizens left demands at the BIA building
Sometime after 8 p.m., the gathering of citizens began in front of the Novi Sad Police Department headquarters, on Kraljevića Marka Street.
The crowd then went to the Security Information Agency (BIA) building, where they chanted and made noise to express their dissatisfaction with the work of that state service.
They also left their demands at the locked BIA building, a Beta agency reporter reported.
The protest, titled “Darko is not alone,” is being organized by Novi Sad bikers from the informal association “White Rabbits,” because their colleague was brutally beaten by Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) thugs on Wednesday, after which he ended up in the Emergency Center.
They are also supported by bikers from Belgrade, who arrived at the “Roda” supermarket on the highway at around 7:30 p.m., from where they marched in a column to meet the police.
“When they hit one, they hit all. And that’s why – all as one,” the bikers said in their call for the gathering.
A small number of police officers were present in front of the building.
