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BreakingNews.ie
30-06-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Serbian police remove barricades and make new arrests as protesters block roads
Serbian police removed street barricades in the capital Belgrade that are part of persistent dissent against the government of populist President Aleksandar Vucic. Demonstrators are demanding the release of dozens of university students and others arrested after a massive weekend rally, accused of attacking the police or plotting to overthrow the government. Advertisement Police dismantled metal fences and moved garbage containers blocking traffic in Belgrade's Zemun district on Monday, while several dozen protesters raised their hands in the air and chanted anti-government slogans. Serbian gendarmerie officers prepare to remove a street blockade that was set up as part of a protest in Belgrade, Serbia (Darko Vojinovic/AP) Police also intervened separately in a city centre area. Protesters later changed tactics and continuously walked over a pedestrian crossing, thus blocking traffic again. The protests and blockades began after a train station canopy collapsed in November, killing 16 people. Advertisement Many in Serbia blamed the tragedy on corruption-fuelled negligence in state infrastructure projects. Thousands of demonstrators halted traffic at various locations in Belgrade and elsewhere throughout the country on Sunday evening, including a key bridge over the Sava River in the capital. Police removed those blockades early on Monday. Police said in a statement that a number of people were detained but did not specify how many. Advertisement Video posted on social media showed police vehicles driving at high speed through a blockade in one Belgrade street and people fleeing in panic. Serbian gendarmerie officers stand in front of anti-government protesters in Belgrade, Serbia (Darko Vojinovic/AP) Mr Vucic praised police action in a statement during a visit to Spain, saying: 'Citizens should not worry, the state is strong enough to secure law and order.' On Saturday, tens of thousands of people demanded a snap parliamentary election at a student-led rally they hope will oust Mr Vucic's right-wing government. Groups of protesters clashed with police after the official part of the rally ended. Advertisement Dozens were later detained. Mr Vucic has refused to call the election, which is scheduled to be held in 2027. University students and professors are a key force behind nearly eight months of almost daily protests and Mr Vucic has accused them of 'terror' and attempts to destroy the country. Riot police used batons, pepper spray and shields to charge at demonstrators who threw rocks and other objects at police cordons. Advertisement Nearly 40 people face criminal charges over the clashes, police said. People react as Serbian gendarmerie officers remove a street blockade that was set up as part of a protest in Belgrade (Darko Vojinovic/AP) Authorities detained at least eight university students for alleged acts against the constitutional order and national security, accusing them of planning attacks on state institutions. Critics say Mr Vucic has become increasingly authoritarian since coming to power over a decade ago, stifling democratic freedoms while allowing corruption and organised crime to flourish, which he has denied. Serbia is formally seeking entry to the European Union, but Mr Vucic's government has nourished relations with Russia and China.
The Independent
30-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Serbian police remove street blockades in Belgrade and make new arrests as tensions persist
Serbian police removed street blockades in the capital Belgrade early Monday that were set up as part of a protest over a spate of arrests of anti-government protesters after a massive rally demanding an early parliamentary election. Thousands of demonstrators placed metal fences and garbage containers at various locations in Belgrade and elsewhere throughout the country Sunday evening, including a key bridge over the Sava River in the capital. Protesters say they plan to return Monday. Police said in a statement that a number of people have been detained without specifying how many. Video posted on social media showed police vehicles driving at high speed through a blockade in one Belgrade street and people fleeing in panic. The blockades are part of persistent dissent against the government of populist President Aleksandar Vucic that started after a train station canopy crashed in the country's north, killing 16 people. Protesters have demanded justice for the victims of the canopy collapse in Novi Sad on Nov. 1, which many in Serbia blame on corruption-fueled negligence in state infrastructure projects. Tens of thousands of people gathered Saturday at a student-led protest in Belgrade to call for the snap vote they hope will oust Vucic's right-wing government. Groups of protesters clashed with police after the official part of the rally ended. Dozens were later detained. Vucic has refused to call the election, which is scheduled to be held in 2027. University students and professors are a key force behind nearly eight months of almost daily protests and Vucic has accused them of 'terror' and attempts to destroy the country. Nearly 50 officers and 22 protesters were injured in clashes late Saturday. Riot police used batons, pepper spray and shields to charge at demonstrators who threw rocks and other objects at police cordons. Nearly 40 people face criminal charges over the clashes, police said. Authorities also have detained at least eight university students for alleged acts against constitutional order and security, accusing them of planning attacks on state institutions. Protesters have demanded their immediate release. Critics say Vucic has become increasingly authoritarian since coming to power over a decade ago, stifling democratic freedoms while allowing corruption and organized crime to flourish, which he has denied. Serbia is formally seeking entry to the European Union, but Vucic's government has nourished relations with Russia and China.
Associated Press
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Serbian police remove street blockades in Belgrade and make new arrests as tensions persist
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbian police removed street blockades in the capital Belgrade early Monday that were set up as part of a protest over a spate of arrests of anti-government protesters after a massive rally demanding an early parliamentary election. Thousands of demonstrators placed metal fences and garbage containers at various locations in Belgrade and elsewhere throughout the country Sunday evening, including a key bridge over the Sava River in the capital. Protesters say they plan to return Monday. Police said in a statement that a number of people have been detained without specifying how many. Video posted on social media showed police vehicles driving at high speed through a blockade in one Belgrade street and people fleeing in panic. The blockades are part of persistent dissent against the government of populist President Aleksandar Vucic that started after a train station canopy crashed in the country's north, killing 16 people. Protesters have demanded justice for the victims of the canopy collapse in Novi Sad on Nov. 1, which many in Serbia blame on corruption-fueled negligence in state infrastructure projects. Tens of thousands of people gathered Saturday at a student-led protest in Belgrade to call for the snap vote they hope will oust Vucic's right-wing government. Groups of protesters clashed with police after the official part of the rally ended. Dozens were later detained. Vucic has refused to call the election, which is scheduled to be held in 2027. University students and professors are a key force behind nearly eight months of almost daily protests and Vucic has accused them of 'terror' and attempts to destroy the country. Nearly 50 officers and 22 protesters were injured in clashes late Saturday. Riot police used batons, pepper spray and shields to charge at demonstrators who threw rocks and other objects at police cordons. Nearly 40 people face criminal charges over the clashes, police said. Authorities also have detained at least eight university students for alleged acts against constitutional order and security, accusing them of planning attacks on state institutions. Protesters have demanded their immediate release. Critics say Vucic has become increasingly authoritarian since coming to power over a decade ago, stifling democratic freedoms while allowing corruption and organized crime to flourish, which he has denied. Serbia is formally seeking entry to the European Union, but Vucic's government has nourished relations with Russia and China.
Al Jazeera
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Thousands set up street blockades in Serbia after crackdown on protesters
Thousands of people have set up street blockades in Serbia, where tensions are boiling over after the arrest of antigovernment protesters who clashed with police at a massive night-time rally a day earlier that demanded early elections, marking a crescendo of months-long public dissent. Protesters put up metal fences and garbage containers at various locations in the capital Belgrade late on Sunday into early Monday, also blocking a key bridge over the Sava River. Protesters in the northern city of Novi Sad pelted the offices of the ruling populist Serbian Progressive Party with eggs. Serbian media said similar protest blockades were organised in smaller cities across the country. Protesters are demanding that authorities release dozens of university students and others at the demonstration who were jailed for allegedly attacking the police or purportedly plotting to overthrow the government at Saturday's student-led protest in Belgrade. At a news conference earlier on Sunday, Serbia's embattled populist leader Aleksandar Vucic accused the organisers of the protest of inciting violence and attacks on police. 'There will be many more arrested for attacking police … this is not the end,' Vucic said, accusing the protesters of causing 'terror'. Clashes erupted after the official part of the rally ended. Police used pepper spray, batons and shields while protesters threw rocks, bottles and other objects. Critics say Vucic has become increasingly authoritarian since coming to power more than a decade ago, having served as first deputy prime minister from 2012 to 2014 and prime minister from 2014 to 2017 before becoming president, stifling democratic freedoms while allowing corruption and organised crime to flourish. He denies the accusations. Saturday's rally was one of the largest in eight sustained months of demonstrations triggered by the roof collapse at a train station in the city of Novi Sad in November that killed 16 people – a tragedy widely blamed on entrenched corruption. Following the outcry over the disaster, Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigned, but the governing party continued in power, with a reshuffled government and Vucic still in office. Authorities put the crowd's size at 36,000 – well below an independent estimate by the Archive of Public Gatherings of about 140,000. During his news conference, Vucic also criticised 'terrorists and those who tried to bring down the state', singling out University of Belgrade's head dean, Vladan Djokic, who was among the protesters. 'Take freedom into your own hands' 'Serbia won. You cannot destroy Serbia with violence,' said Vucic. 'They consciously wanted to spur bloodshed. The time of accountability is coming.' Protesters say the current populist government is 'illegitimate' and lay the responsibility for any violence on the government. Police said on Sunday that 48 officers were injured while 22 protesters sought medical help. Out of 77 people arrested, 38 remain in custody, most of whom are facing criminal charges, said Interior Minister Ivica Dacic. Before Saturday's protest, organisers had issued an 'ultimatum' for Vucic to call elections – a demand he has repeatedly rejected. After the rally, organisers played a statement to the crowd calling for Serbians to 'take freedom into your own hands' and giving them the 'green light'. 'The authorities had all the mechanisms and all the time to meet the demands and prevent an escalation,' the organisers said in a statement on Instagram. On Sunday, Vucic reiterated that there would not be any national vote before the end of 2026. He has repeatedly alleged the protests are part of a foreign plot to destroy his 12-year government, without providing any evidence. More than a dozen people have been arrested in recent weeks, a crackdown that has now become routine in the face of large demonstrations. Serbia is formally seeking European Union membership, but Vucic's government has nurtured close relations with Russia and China.
Russia Today
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Statue of Melania Trump vandalized in Slovenia (PHOTOS)
A statue of US First Lady Melania Trump, erected near her hometown of Sevnica in Slovenia, has been vandalized and stolen, prompting a police investigation. Photos show that the statue was largely cut away, with only the feet and ankles remaining on the tree stump where it was mounted. Slovenian police confirmed to the media that they are treating the incident, which occurred on May 13, as a case of theft and have launched a formal inquiry. The life-sized bronze figure, which was located in a field, succeeded an earlier wooden version that was set on fire a year after its installation in 2019. The bronze replacement, unveiled in 2020, had the same creators – American conceptual artist Brad Downey and local artist Ales Zupevc. The wooden statue had received mixed reactions from residents. Carved with a chainsaw from a poplar tree trunk, it featured Melania wearing a powder-blue painted dress and heels, apparently referencing the cashmere outfit she wore to her husband's inauguration in 2017. The artwork was destroyed on July 4, 2020, coinciding with Independence Day in the statue became a local tourist curiosity in Sevnica, a small town on the Sava River in eastern Slovenia with a population of around 5,000. The location gained international attention after Melania Trump became US first lady. She spent her early years in Sevnica before embarking on a modeling career that took her to the US in 1996. In the years since, the town has reportedly introduced a range of Melania-themed products to celebrate its most well-known former resident. 'My feeling is that it has something to do with the new election [of Donald Trump], but who knows, right?' Downey told AFP, commenting on the latest incident. He described the missing statue as an 'anti-monument' and 'anti-propaganda.'
