The deadline that the students are blocked Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad given to the dean and the police expired at 22 p.m., and before that the dean said that this request sounded like an ultimatum to him.
Someone from the crowd told the police officers in front of the entrance through a megaphone that they had 10 minutes to take cover. Before the deadline, there was a conflict between the police and the demonstrators.
The plateau in front of the faculty is completely "occupied" by the police, and cleared of citizens and students, reports N1.
Before that, pyrotechnics were set off, pepper sprays were sprayed and people were pushed at the entrance to the university.
Emergency services also came to the scene, and as the gathered told the N1 reporter, there were minor injuries, as well as those who were sprayed with pepper spray at the entrance to the faculty building when there was a commotion between the demonstrators and the police.
MUP: About 300 citizens tried to forcibly enter the Faculty of Philosophy
The Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that around 22 p.m. this evening, ignoring several previously issued police warnings, about 300 citizens tried to forcibly enter the main entrance of the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad and attacked the cordon of the Police Intervention Unit.
The MUP statement states that the participants of an unannounced public gathering in front of the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad attempted to forcefully enter the premises of the faculty, which, after yesterday's call from the dean, were secured by members of the MUP.
Members of the IJP repelled the attack by using means of coercion and suppression and moved the crowd away from the entrance.
During the attack on the police officers, as stated, the participants of the protest used physical force, oysters, eggs, pyrotechnics and other objects. Gendarmerie units and the rest of the IJP forces isolated part of the crowd that was attacking the police at the entrance and pushed the crowd to a safe distance.
"Given the fact that the attacks on the police cordon continued, despite several warnings from police officers to stop the attacks, members of the police took measures and actions provided by law to establish control on the plateau in front of the entrance to the faculty," the MUP points out.
Members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs apply their legal powers exclusively with the aim of preserving the security of the institution, citizens and public order and peace in the city area, the statement added.
What happened at the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad on Wednesday?
Students and citizens had previously gathered outside on Wednesday (August 27). of the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad, in protest after students blocked that higher education institution for nine months expelled from the building.
After the all-day meeting and after the students presented their demands to the dean, asking, among other things, that the police leave the faculty building by 22 p.m., the dean replied that their demands were an ultimatum.
At the end of that period, the police were pushed to the entrance of the faculty, and then the police started to push the citizens, reports 021.
Pepper spray was used, and cannon shots were heard. Portal 021's reporter on the ground and citizens assume that it came from the police. Citizens were pushed all the way to the Rectorate.
What were the students looking for?
The students communicated several demands, and according to the students, two department heads entered the Faculty of Philosophy and spoke with the dean. According to the students, he said that he did not feel safe to leave the building now, and that he would respond to the students' demands tomorrow.
The students then asked the dean to respond to their requests within two hours.
They demanded that the police leave the faculty building by 22 p.m. and that students be allowed to enter the faculty from midnight. They state that the dean, if he wishes, will be allowed to leave, and they say that he can also stay and be with the students at the faculty.
What did the dean say?
The dean of the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad, Milivoj Alanović, told the students in the blockade that the management remains open to discussion, but sees their request as an ultimatum.
"We remain sincerely committed to the conversation, but in the conditions of threatened security present in the Faculty building, outside and from the Faculty of Law, your request has the character of an ultimatum, which does not contribute to the solution of the situation. We ask that we be focused on the issues that you yourself stated," said Alanović in his response to the students.
This was soon followed by a student blockade claiming that such an attitude "only diverts the focus from the situation".
"It is insisted that his and his colleagues' safety inside the faculty building is threatened. We do not issue ultimatums. We underline, we guarantee the safety of the dean and all employees who are currently in the Faculty of Philosophy," the students stated.
The students announced that they will remain in front of the faculty until they are allowed to enter the building.
One student announced the demands of the blocked students for holding the exam.
Among other things, they are asking for the police to leave the faculty building and the free entry of students and employees. Also, they ask that no disciplinary proceedings be initiated against the blocked students.
Students and citizens also gathered on Tuesday evening, when a large number of police officers were also present, who came at the invitation of Dean Milivoj Alanović.
The academic plenum requests the dean's resignation
On Tuesday evening, the Academic Plenum called on Dean Alanović to "immediately resign and in this way lead to the calming of the tense situation, which he himself generated by calling the police to intervene at the faculty."
More than 120 teachers and associates of the Faculty of Philosophy condemned the expulsion of the blocking students from the faculty building.
They state that "in an atmosphere of blackmail and threats, it is not possible and it is not professional to hold exams."
They point out that at the faculty there is the will of both students and teachers to hold the exams and that they believe that there is room for an agreement that would enable the realization of exam activities in an academically correct atmosphere with mutual respect and appreciation.
Support rallies in Nis and Kragujevac
Due to the situation at the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad, Niš students organized a support rally in front of the Faculty of Philosophy in Niš and invite citizens to come.
An informal group of students in Niš say that they will not remain silent in the face of oppression, Juzne vesti reports.
Under the slogan "Kragujevac with heart and Novi Sad", students also protested in Kragujevac on Đački trg, Glas Šumadije reports.
After that, the gathered went in front of the premises of the City Committee of the Serbian Progressive Party in Kragujevac.
There is a uniformed police in front of the SNS premises.
Source: 021/Južne vesti/Glas Šumadija/Danas/N1
