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https://www.rt.com/news/494201-belgrade-protests-covid-escalate/
SECOND night of clashes in Serbia as government & opposition blame each other for protests over Covid-19 lockdown
8 Jul, 2020 23:52 / Updated 6 hours ago
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Thousands of people gathered in Belgrade and other major cities to protest the Serbian government’s intent to reimpose coronavirus lockdowns. Stones and teargas flew as they clashed with riot police long into the night.
Police in Belgrade have reportedly dispersed the bulk of the demonstrators by midnight local time on Wednesday, after nearly five hours of standoffs and clashes with a crowd of mostly young men and women.
What started on Tuesday as a protest against the announced second round of Covid-19 lockdowns quickly turned into an attempt to storm the parliament and fights with the police.
Also on rt.com MASSIVE protests rock Serbian capital after new Covid-19 lockdown announcement (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
Demonstrators used garbage bins and planters to set up barricades and blocked streetcar and vehicle traffic in downtown Belgrade for several hours, local media reported. The government responded with riot police, armored vehicles of the Gendarmerie, and horse cavalry sent to push back and disperse the crowd.
Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said 10 officers were injured on Wednesday, including one who broke both legs after being pushed down a flight of stairs. He added that police only used force when the protesters tried to “lynch” them, using fence posts, clubs, shovels, rocks, teargas canisters and even Molotov cocktails to attack the officers.
Meanwhile, videos shared by protesters on social media showed a group of riot police beating up a demonstrator curled up on the ground.
He also pointed the accusing finger at “all kinds of influence from foreign security services,” without elaborating.
Accusations of foreign meddling are a sore topic in Serbia, ever since the US-backed October 2000 “color revolution” that brought into power the ‘Democratic Opposition’ coalition. It went on to lose power to Vucic’s Progressive Party in 2012. The Democrats boycotted last month’s parliamentary election, claiming it would be stolen.
Also on rt.com Belgrade protests not about Covid-19 lockdown, hijacked by rightwing radicals – Serbia’s president
Some opposition leaders indeed tried to take over the protests on Tuesday; video showed former Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic getting booed and slapped upside the head when he tried to join the crowd outside the parliament.
On Wednesday, Democrats blamed “regime provocateurs” for that incident and organized a small protest themselves. However, when former President Boris Tadic attempted to join the main crowd, he was booed, insulted and chased off.
Some of the hand-made signs carried by protesters did feature the “Otpor fist” that became notorious in 2000, but also said “This is for you, dad” – quoting a young man who told reporters on Tuesday that his father had died of Covid-19 because there weren’t enough ventilators.
In addition to Belgrade, there were reports of protests in Nis and Novi Sad as well.
https://www.rt.com/news/494233-serbia-protests-civil-war/
Serbian defense minister says protests are ‘COUP ATTEMPT’, aim to spark CIVIL WAR
9 Jul, 2020 11:19
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Demonstrators face security forces during an anti-government rally, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Belgrade, Serbia © REUTERS / Marko Djurica
Violent clashes that rocked Belgrade and other cities this week were “carefully prepared,” and are aimed at seizing power and igniting a civil war in Serbia, the Balkan country’s defense minister has alleged.
What started as a demonstration against the government-planned curfew over the coronavirus eventually got out of hand and snowballed into massive riots that saw mostly young people assaulting police squads in Belgrade and other major Serbian cities.
The brewing unrest is actually a coup attempt, Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin opined on Thursday while speaking on local television. The “terrible street violence” has purely political backgrounds, he argued.
They clashed with police while apparently trying to get into the building. Riot squads fired tear gas to force the crowds back.
According to Defense Minister Vulin, the protests were a coordinated action and “did not happen by accident.” He noted that media coverage across the Balkans was generally hostile toward the Serbian government, which, again, “is not accidental.”
“I wonder who will be responsible for the fact that hundreds and thousands of people became infected yesterday and the day before yesterday,” he said.
Meanwhile, President Vucic backtracked on the curfew. The government is expected to try other measures, including shortened hours for public spaces and fines for those not wearing protective masks.
Also on rt.com Belgrade protests not about Covid-19 lockdown, hijacked by rightwing radicals – Serbia’s president
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SECOND night of clashes in Serbia as government & opposition blame each other for protests over Covid-19 lockdown
8 Jul, 2020 23:52 / Updated 6 hours ago
Get short URL
- 2
Thousands of people gathered in Belgrade and other major cities to protest the Serbian government’s intent to reimpose coronavirus lockdowns. Stones and teargas flew as they clashed with riot police long into the night.
Police in Belgrade have reportedly dispersed the bulk of the demonstrators by midnight local time on Wednesday, after nearly five hours of standoffs and clashes with a crowd of mostly young men and women.
What started on Tuesday as a protest against the announced second round of Covid-19 lockdowns quickly turned into an attempt to storm the parliament and fights with the police.
Also on rt.com MASSIVE protests rock Serbian capital after new Covid-19 lockdown announcement (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
Demonstrators used garbage bins and planters to set up barricades and blocked streetcar and vehicle traffic in downtown Belgrade for several hours, local media reported. The government responded with riot police, armored vehicles of the Gendarmerie, and horse cavalry sent to push back and disperse the crowd.
Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said 10 officers were injured on Wednesday, including one who broke both legs after being pushed down a flight of stairs. He added that police only used force when the protesters tried to “lynch” them, using fence posts, clubs, shovels, rocks, teargas canisters and even Molotov cocktails to attack the officers.
Meanwhile, videos shared by protesters on social media showed a group of riot police beating up a demonstrator curled up on the ground.
Speaking after the first night of protests, President Aleksandar Vucic blamed the violence on “right-wing extremists” who took over when “decent citizens” angry with the coronavirus restrictions withdrew.
He also pointed the accusing finger at “all kinds of influence from foreign security services,” without elaborating.
Accusations of foreign meddling are a sore topic in Serbia, ever since the US-backed October 2000 “color revolution” that brought into power the ‘Democratic Opposition’ coalition. It went on to lose power to Vucic’s Progressive Party in 2012. The Democrats boycotted last month’s parliamentary election, claiming it would be stolen.
Also on rt.com Belgrade protests not about Covid-19 lockdown, hijacked by rightwing radicals – Serbia’s president
Some opposition leaders indeed tried to take over the protests on Tuesday; video showed former Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic getting booed and slapped upside the head when he tried to join the crowd outside the parliament.
On Wednesday, Democrats blamed “regime provocateurs” for that incident and organized a small protest themselves. However, when former President Boris Tadic attempted to join the main crowd, he was booed, insulted and chased off.
Local media showed photos of demonstrators carrying a cross and waving all manner of Serbian flags, including the one dedicated to Kosovo, a breakaway province run by NATO and ethnic Albanians since the 1999 war. Vucic is supposed to meet with French and German leaders later this week to arrange negotiations with the ethnic Albanian leadership, and many of the protesters accuse him of “treason” for allegedly planning to recognize their secession.
Some of the hand-made signs carried by protesters did feature the “Otpor fist” that became notorious in 2000, but also said “This is for you, dad” – quoting a young man who told reporters on Tuesday that his father had died of Covid-19 because there weren’t enough ventilators.
Vucic has disputed that claim, but insisted that a new lockdown may be necessary because the number of both new cases and deaths from the coronavirus has spiked and hospitals are reaching full capacity.
In addition to Belgrade, there were reports of protests in Nis and Novi Sad as well.
https://www.rt.com/news/494233-serbia-protests-civil-war/
Serbian defense minister says protests are ‘COUP ATTEMPT’, aim to spark CIVIL WAR
9 Jul, 2020 11:19
Get short URL
Demonstrators face security forces during an anti-government rally, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Belgrade, Serbia © REUTERS / Marko Djurica
Violent clashes that rocked Belgrade and other cities this week were “carefully prepared,” and are aimed at seizing power and igniting a civil war in Serbia, the Balkan country’s defense minister has alleged.
What started as a demonstration against the government-planned curfew over the coronavirus eventually got out of hand and snowballed into massive riots that saw mostly young people assaulting police squads in Belgrade and other major Serbian cities.
The brewing unrest is actually a coup attempt, Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin opined on Thursday while speaking on local television. The “terrible street violence” has purely political backgrounds, he argued.
President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Tuesday that a curfew would be put in place this Friday and run throughout the weekend. Right after, thousands of people gathered outside the parliament.
They clashed with police while apparently trying to get into the building. Riot squads fired tear gas to force the crowds back.
According to Defense Minister Vulin, the protests were a coordinated action and “did not happen by accident.” He noted that media coverage across the Balkans was generally hostile toward the Serbian government, which, again, “is not accidental.”
The Balkan nation has reported over 17,000 Covid-19 cases and over 340 fatalities. Mass protests, in which people didn’t keep apart, have only increased the risk of spreading the contagion, Vulin warned.
“I wonder who will be responsible for the fact that hundreds and thousands of people became infected yesterday and the day before yesterday,” he said.
Meanwhile, President Vucic backtracked on the curfew. The government is expected to try other measures, including shortened hours for public spaces and fines for those not wearing protective masks.
Also on rt.com Belgrade protests not about Covid-19 lockdown, hijacked by rightwing radicals – Serbia’s president
Subscribe to RT newsletter to get stories the mainstream media won’t tell you.
