Thousands of demonstrators on Monday in Belgrade again gathered again in protests against Serbian President Aleksandar Vučič. The police blame the brutality and the use of excessive power during Friday’s protest in the city of Nový Sad, where she used tear gas and stun grenades to spread the crowd. According to the AP and Reuters report, TASR reports this.
The protesters demanded punishment of police officers responsible for disproportionate use of force as well as alleged rape threats against a student Nikoline Sindjelic. The Serbian authorities detained her during the demonstrations last month and claims she was beaten and sexually harassed.
Sindjelicová on Monday’s protest has declared that “The whole state system is directed against its own citizens”. The crowd welcomed her speech with a stormy applause and, referring to Vučič, chanted “It’s over with him.” “They beat us because they are afraid of truth … No power will break us,” Sindjelicová added.
Protests led by students have been held in Serbia since November last year after a tragic accidentwhen a concrete shelter collapsed at the reconstructed railway station in Novi Sad and 16 people died. According to a large part of the public, corruption and laxity of officials contributed to the tragedy. The protests were mostly calm until August 13, when dozens of police and civilians suffered injuries in the rainfall. Demonstrators demand early elections to depose the President and his Government Serbian Progressive Party (CIS).
