The offices of Serbia's ruling Serbian Progressive Party have been set on fire amid escalating protests demanding government accountability and early elections. Demonstrators expressed their outrage over the handling of a deadly railway accident linked to alleged corruption, sparking a violent response from police and calls for action from the Council of Europe.
Unrest Escalates in Serbia as Ruling Party Offices Set Ablaze
Unrest Escalates in Serbia as Ruling Party Offices Set Ablaze
Ongoing protests ignite further clashes between demonstrators and police, following the tragic collapse of a railway station in Novi Sad.
Article Text:
The situation in Serbia has intensified as the offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) were set ablaze during a fifth consecutive night of protests, highlighting a surge of public frustration against the government. Recent events have seen clashes erupt between anti-government demonstrators and riot police, particularly in the city of Valjevo where law enforcement reportedly employed stun grenades and tear gas to disperse crowds who targeted the empty SNS facilities.
The unrest stems from a tragic railway station collapse in Novi Sad last November that resulted in the deaths of 16 individuals, with many citizens attributing blame to the alleged corruption and negligence of President Aleksandar Vučić's administration. While the demonstrations began as peaceful protests against corruption, tensions escalated on Wednesday when pro-government supporters initiated counter-protests.
In response to the upheaval, riot police were deployed across several cities including the capital, Belgrade, as protestors continued to push for early elections and accountability from the government. Demonstrators have focused their anger not only on the SNS but also on the Serbian Radical Party, which is an ally of Vučić’s government. Reports of injuries surfaced throughout the protests, and unverified footage on social media appeared to show police engaging in excessive force against demonstrators.
Human rights advocates such as Michael O'Flaherty, the commissioner for human rights at the Council of Europe, have expressed concern over police brutality and called for a cessation of arbitrary arrests. In a recent response, President Vučić took to social media to characterize the violence as a reflection of "total weakness" and vowed to take punitive measures against those causing unrest.
Meanwhile, Russia has assured support for the pro-Moscow government, asserting it would not remain indifferent to the turmoil affecting Serbia. A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that the police were employing lawful methods to restore order and protect public safety.
The protests have erupted almost daily since the tragic rail accident, growing from initial demands for transparency into larger calls for the resignation of Vučić, who has been in office for over 12 years. These mobilizations have seen hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets, demonstrating the depth of public dissatisfaction within the nation.
The situation in Serbia has intensified as the offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) were set ablaze during a fifth consecutive night of protests, highlighting a surge of public frustration against the government. Recent events have seen clashes erupt between anti-government demonstrators and riot police, particularly in the city of Valjevo where law enforcement reportedly employed stun grenades and tear gas to disperse crowds who targeted the empty SNS facilities.
The unrest stems from a tragic railway station collapse in Novi Sad last November that resulted in the deaths of 16 individuals, with many citizens attributing blame to the alleged corruption and negligence of President Aleksandar Vučić's administration. While the demonstrations began as peaceful protests against corruption, tensions escalated on Wednesday when pro-government supporters initiated counter-protests.
In response to the upheaval, riot police were deployed across several cities including the capital, Belgrade, as protestors continued to push for early elections and accountability from the government. Demonstrators have focused their anger not only on the SNS but also on the Serbian Radical Party, which is an ally of Vučić’s government. Reports of injuries surfaced throughout the protests, and unverified footage on social media appeared to show police engaging in excessive force against demonstrators.
Human rights advocates such as Michael O'Flaherty, the commissioner for human rights at the Council of Europe, have expressed concern over police brutality and called for a cessation of arbitrary arrests. In a recent response, President Vučić took to social media to characterize the violence as a reflection of "total weakness" and vowed to take punitive measures against those causing unrest.
Meanwhile, Russia has assured support for the pro-Moscow government, asserting it would not remain indifferent to the turmoil affecting Serbia. A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that the police were employing lawful methods to restore order and protect public safety.
The protests have erupted almost daily since the tragic rail accident, growing from initial demands for transparency into larger calls for the resignation of Vučić, who has been in office for over 12 years. These mobilizations have seen hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets, demonstrating the depth of public dissatisfaction within the nation.
