Sasa DragojloBelgradeBIRNFebruary 17, 202312:48Supporters of arrested far-right activists gathered in Belgrade on Friday to demand their release ahead of a decision on whether to charge them with attempting the violent overthrow of the government.
Members of the far-right People’s Patrols. Photo: BIRN/Marija Vucic.
Supporters of arrested far-righters gathered on Friday in front of Belgrade’s Palace of Justice, demanding the release of fellow activists charged with seeking the violent overthrow of the government.
Dejan Zlatanovic, editor of Srbin.info media, People’s Patrols leader Damnjan Knezevic and the other arrested far-rightists were behind Wednesday’s protest, “Stop Vucic’s Betrayal of Kosovo”, which accused President Aleksandar Vucic of betraying the former province, revered by nationalists as the “cradle” of the Serbian state.
A rifle was found by police in one of the protester’s cars. The charge carries a prison sentence of six months to eight years. The High Public Prosecutor’s Office will decide on their case.
Supporters awaiting the decision claimed it was just part of a regime war on dissenters, adding that the rifle police found was a hunting rifle, and it was absurd to think it was for the assassination of the President.
The protest held in front of the Serbian Presidency on Wednesday – Serbia’s Statehood Day – was organized by People’s Patrols against the so-called “Franco-German deal” on Kosovo, which has sparked a lot of controversy in Serbia despite only a few hundred people attending the rally.
Several dozen participants broke through the protective fence in front of the Presidency and reached the staircase, with the intention of submitting their demands directly to the President, shouting: “Where is Vucic?” and “Treason! betrayal!”, and pelting the facade with eggs.
Police intervened to break up demonstrations and the demonstrators were removed from the staircase, but not from the fenced area.
Police confirmed they arrested five persons linked with extreme right-wing organizations organizing the protest. Citing their initials, police said on Thursday that three leaders were arrested “on suspicion that they committed the crime of calling for a violent change in the constitutional order”.
On Wednesday, before the protest, police announced that, along with the Security Intelligence Service, BIA, they arrested Dejan Bobocek, 36, leader of one branch of People’s Patrols, a far-right organization known for violent actions against migrants but also for support for Russia and its war on Ukraine.
In his car, the police allegedly found the rifle with several pieces of ammunition. It is suspected that Bobocek was heading for Belgrade for the protest.
Two others, M.J., 22, was arrested on suspicion of handing over ammunition to Bobocek and for having previously stolen the weapon, while I.T., 28, was arrested for possession of weapons and explosives.
On Thursday, police also arrested Zlatanovic, the Srbin.info editor and Knezevic, leader of the People’s Patrols, accusing them of calling on citizens to gather in Belgrade and violently overthrow the government.
Knezevic, beside leading anti-migrant organization, is known for organizing pro-Russian rallies over the war in Ukraine and recently visited Russia’s paramilitary organization Wagner.
President Vucic announced the arrests of Zlatanovic and Knezevic on the pro-government TV channel Pink TV. “Anyone who threatens murders, beatings and riots, in accordance with Serbian law, will be held accountable to the state authorities. That is an important message,” Vucic said on Wednesday.
“The state will not allow thugs and extremists with help from the outside, from West or East, to threaten the constitutional order,” Vucic added.
Media supportive of the government have been talking up scenarios of Vucic’s assassination for years.
The so-called Franco-German proposal aimed at resolving the situation in Kosovo is supported by both the EU and the US.
Experts told BIRN in November that the leaked draft, as reported, resembled the 1972 Basic Treaty by which East and West Germany de facto recognised each other, without the word “recognition” actually appearing in the text.
Serbia has vowed never to recognise the independence of its former province, proclaimed in 2008.
Both Vucic and Kosovo PM Albin Kurti have in public said they are leaning to signing the document but with their own different interpretations about what it means in practice.
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