Police accused of brutality against demonstrators as unrest continues across cities for fourth night
Anti-government protests in Serbia escalated on Friday night amid reports of police brutality and excessive use of force. It was the fourth day of unrest in cities across the Balkan country, including in the capital, Belgrade, where police fired teargas at demonstrators and tried to separate rival groups of protesters.
Dozens of people have been injured in the violent clashes, while hundreds have been detained over the past week, as nine months of largely peaceful anti-corruption and pro-democracy protests have reached boiling point.
On Friday night, Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vučić, said the state was stronger than any protest and praised the police for their conduct during the latest demonstrations. “This is the phase of despair and helplessness, when you have nothing more to offer the citizens except beatings, clubs, and all the rest,” he told the national TV broadcaster RTS.
Serbia’s interior minister, Ivica Dačić, denied that police had used excessive force, instead blaming demonstrators for allegedly attacking the officers.
