Protesters march in Belgrade on Friday. Photo: EPA-EFE/ANDREJ CUKIC Serbians Hold Mass Protest Against Culture of Violence After ShootingsIvana Jeremic, Milica Stojanovic and Sasa DragojloBelgradeBIRNMay 12, 202320:11 Ivana Jeremic, Milica Stojanovic and Sasa DragojloBelgradeBIRNMay 12, 202320:11Thousands joined the ‘Serbia Against Violence’ rally in Belgrade, calling for an end to the promotion of aggression in the media and the ousting of security officials after two mass shootings left 17 people dead earlier this month.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Belgrade on Friday in the second major rally this month to voice anger about the endorsement of violent behaviour by some media outlets and inadequate security safeguards in the wake of two mass shootings that shocked the country.
The protesters gathered outside the Serbian parliament and then marched through the city to the Gazela Bridge over the Sava river, which they temporarily blocked. The column of demonstrators stretched out for 1.7 kilometres through the city streets.
“The people here are gathering because they want to show that they are united in grief and fear, but also because they are asking for accountability of the people who are running the state,” Jelena Jerinic, an MP from the opposition Green-Left Coalition in parliament, told BIRN at the protest.
A protester outside parliament holds a placard saying “Violence is the absence of legal security”. Photo: BIRN
Out of respect for the victims of the two mass shootings that claimed the lives of 17 people and left many more injured, the protest was held without any political party symbols.
The protesters were calling for the governing council of Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) to be replaced, for print media and tabloid newspapers promoting hatred and violence and breaching journalistic ethics to be shut down, for the frequencies of the pro-government Pink and Happy TV stations to be revoked, and for reality television shows that depict violence to be banned.
Protesters gather outside parliament. Photo: EPA-EFE/ANDREJ CUKIC.
They were also calling for the removal or resignation of Interior Minister Bratislav Gasic and the head of the Security Intelligence Agency, Aleksandar Vulin were demanded, along with an urgent parliamentary session to consider long-term security solutions to prevent any more mass shootings.
The protest was organised by various opposition parties, including the Democratic Party, the People’s Party, the Green Left Front/Ne Davimo Beograd, Zajedno and the Party of Freedom and Justice/Movement of Free Citizens/Syndikat Sloga/Movement for the United Turn, but they insisted that the rally was not specifically affiliated with any party.
A man waves a Serbian flag at the start of the rally. Photo:EPA-EFE/ANDREJ CUKIC.
Thousands of people also joined the first ‘Serbia Against Violence’ protest on May 8 after the shootings at the Vladislav Ribnikar Elementary School in Belgrade and in villages near Mladenovac and Smederevo.
Protesters hold a banner saying “Serbia Against Violence”. Photo: BIRN
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic responded to the first march by saying that the organisers “abused people’s feelings” after the mass shootings for their own political motives. Vucic has vowed to hold his own rally, which he claimed will be the biggest in Serbian history, on May 26. His government has already announced tough measures intended to curb violence.
Protesters arriving in New Belgrade. Photo: BIRN
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