Tens of Thousands Protest Against Violence in Serbia

Mass Protests Against President Vucic

There have been mass protests against the leadership of Serbia once again. Tens of thousands of people gathered for an evening demonstration in Belgrade against President Vucic. They accused the government of doing too little to combat violence.

Tens of thousands of people demonstrated against violence in Serbia in Belgrade. This was the sixth protest in a row after 18 people were killed in two massacres in May. The protesters gathered outside the parliament in the center of the Serbian capital on Friday evening and marched in two separate columns towards the government building, according to local media.

They demanded the resignation of President Aleksandar Vucic and officials responsible for the security apparatus. They accused Vucic and the pro-government media of creating a climate of hatred and violence. The government is not taking decisive enough action against violence, private firearms ownership, or organized crime within the country. Leftist and liberal opposition parties, as well as civil movements, called for the demonstration.

Background on Recent Tragedies

In early May, a 13-year-old student killed nine colleagues and a guard at a Belgrade school. The next day, a 21-year-old man shot people in a village near Belgrade and killed eight of them.

Critics accuse President Vucic of an autocratic style of politics and cronyism. Vucic denies the accusations and has stated that opposition groups want to overthrow or even kill him through violent means.