A large number of police officers dispersed the demonstrators who had previously tried to enter by force in front of the City Assembly - allegedly, so that the opposition MPs could speak from the balcony. Vučić said that the "rioters" will be held accountable, Radomir Lazović said that the fight will continue
Special units of the police ran out of the building of the City Assembly shortly before 22:XNUMX p.m. and went in pursuit of the demonstrators who had previously besieged the building for hours. The police tried to surround the protesters, many of whom immediately fled the scene.
"Over a hundred members of the police ran out," reported the "Vremena" reporter from the scene, "as if they had a tip-off about what was going to happen there."
The media reported that thirty people were detained, including four students, and that several policemen were injured. As confirmed for "Vreme", no students from the "Students Against Violence" group calling for road blockades on Monday were arrested.
The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, said in a live broadcast on Pink, after the session of the National Security Council, that 35 people were arrested.
"This was prepared. The state will react to that. We have hard evidence. The act was prepared, an attempted violent seizure of the institutions of the Serbian state. 35 thugs have been arrested and it continues," said Vučić, who was addressing the public for the third time today.
Photo: AP Photo/Darko Vojinović
According to the statements of eyewitnesses, the police beat those who arrived in the side streets with batons. MP Radomir Lazović told Fonet that he received several blows to the back.
As N1 unofficially learns, the gendarmes beat Željko Vagić, the president of the branch of the Party of Freedom and Justice Grocka, and broke his leg.
Around that time, President Aleksandar Vučić posted on Instagram with a photo of apples in front of him. "Moments of respite in the presidency." It is important to preserve the peace, arrest the perpetrators and ensure a future for our children," wrote Vučić.
There are almost no citizens in front of the City Assembly building, the gendarmerie pushes them towards Slavija. pic.twitter.com/IWC8RBDknt
He told the citizens that he is here and that they are not afraid. The Presidency is normally located right next to the City Assembly, where everything happened.
Then a session of the National Security Council is held, after which it was announced that Vučić will address the citizens for the fourth time in one day.
How did it start?
Thus, after approximately three hours of nerves, a broken "front" was established around 19:XNUMX p.m., since one protester broke the glass on the front door of the Belgrade Assembly, which was followed by the breaking of other glass on the doors and windows.
Opposition politician Biljana Stojković said that it was done by some masked young men and elements thrown in. But she is the only one who said something like that.
It is tense in front of the City Assembly, where a mass of people led by opposition MPs are trying to get inside. As they say - to address the citizens from the balcony. Vučić says that the "rioters" will be arrested. Photo: Time pic.twitter.com/C1jjAfsEOF
Police officers in full equipment for breaking up demonstrations could be seen through the cracks in the glass. However, at first they did not react except by throwing tear gas at the demonstrators and some opposition members who tried to talk to the police.
This happened because for several hours only whistles, shouts and sounds of broken glass could be heard. The police did not go outside, nor did the protesters manage to enter. The breaking of the window was accompanied by chanting.
Vucic promised arrests
The Ministry of Internal Affairs previously announced that all those participating in the riots would be detained.
Before that, Prime Minister Ana Brnabić said that the police react with restraint so that no one gets hurt. The riots were also condemned by Ivica Dacic, and all of them only after President Aleksandar Vucic spoke for the second time today.
"We want to tell you not to worry," Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said into the microphone Tanjuga, broadcast by television with a national frequency. "There's no revolution going on, none of that is going to work for them."
The police dispersed the protesters after several hours of chaos
As he stated, there were slightly more than a thousand people in front of the City Assembly.
He again accused the opposition of planning the invasion in advance, with the help of some unnamed foreign powers.
Vučić promised that the "miscreants" would be detained and held accountable. "We will save our Serbia."
MPs want to go to the Balcony
Chaotic scenes began earlier on Sunday evening as MP Miroslav Aleksic called on people to "surround" the town hall.
Torches were lit, flags were flying. As the protests turned violent, a large number of people moved away, many with small children.
According to the Archives of Public Meetings, at the beginning of the protest in front of the Republican Electoral Commission, there were over seven thousand people - it was by far the most massive protest after the election.
"In the coming period, through various actions and protests, we want to put pressure on the state authorities to do their job, and on the political top of this country to admit defeat," Green-Left Front deputy Radomir Lazović told "Vreme", while the siege of the Assembly City lasted.
"We would like to liberate this City Hall and through that get to the point where we can address the people and explain the theft," he said, after earlier asking the police to leave.
Lazović added that "Serbia against violence" supports the morning student road blockades on Monday, and called for new protests on Monday from 18 p.m.
"I am moderately optimistic that the elections can be repeated." "Now, this is such a big theft that it cannot be hidden," he added.
The protests have been going on for days
A group of students and the opposition have announced a larger protest against "election theft" for today, and road blockades for tomorrow.
The opposition group "Serbia against violence" has been protesting for days against election irregularities that they claim stole their victory in the elections in Belgrade.
Seven MPs are on hunger strike.
"Serbia against violence" claims that around forty thousand people were brought to Belgrade to vote. Since then, they have been asking for a repeat of all the elections.
NR/MS/AI
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