Serbian police clash with anti-government protesters in Belgrade
Protestors throw flares at riot police after a student-led anti-government demonstration in Belgrade, Serbia, on Saturday evening. Photo by Andrej Cukic/EPA
June 28 (UPI) -- Serbian police clashed with some protesters who marched in Belgrade on Saturday, while demanding an early election to replace President Aleksander Vucic and seat a new government.
The protest was scheduled from 6 p.m. to 9 local time but lasted about an hour longer, and some protesters threw flares at riot police, who were carrying shields and batons and at times used tear gas on protesters.
"There were clashes between police and protesters in Serbia's capital of Belgrade on Saturday night as police tried to ensure security for a pro-government encampment near the national parliament," the Balkan Insight news outlet reported on X.
Student organizers billed the event as the "See you on Vidovdan" protest, which drew tens of thousands of participants. Vidodvan is a Serbian national and religious holiday.
Before the protest got underway, Vucic on Saturday said he anticipated some violence, the Sarajevo Times reported.
"It is impossible for someone to invest huge money against a country without at least trying something," Vucic said.
The Serbian president said a "lot of evil has been done to Serbia" by anti-government protests, which he called a "mistake."
"Serbia is very strong. This is not a handful of oats that every crow is a pretty to," Vucic said.
"We will do our best to be restrained," he added. "The state will be preserved and defended, and the bullies will be brought to justice."
Vucic said government and police officials anticipated violence occurring around the same time the protest was scheduled to end and were ready to handle it.
The protest organizers previously demanded early elections by Saturday.
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