In Serbia, protesters clashed with the police and stormed the offices of the party

• Protesters in Valjevo stormed the offices of the Serbian Progressive Party.
• Numerous arrests and clashes with the police are being reported.
• The Serbian government is facing pressure from the demands of the protesters.

Belgrade, Serbia — Protesters clashed with the police in the city of Valjevo and in the capital Belgrade on Saturday, as tensions in the country rose following days of anti-government demonstrations.

A group of young people, covering their faces with scarves and shouting slogans against President Aleksandar Vučić, stormed the offices of the Serbian Progressive Party in Valjevo, located approximately 100 kilometers from Belgrade. They stormed the party offices before clashing with the police in the city center.

The police used tear gas and attacked the protesters, who responded by throwing stones, bricks, and fireworks.

Similar clashes occurred in the evening in Belgrade, where the police also used tear gas against the protesters, who set trash containers on fire.

Protesters in Valjevo took to the streets because, according to their words, the police acted violently. Interior Minister Ivica Dačić reported that one police officer was injured in Valjevo, and 18 individuals were arrested.

Serbia is experiencing protests since the autumn when a shooting in a school claimed the lives of 16 people. Many have accused corruption in the projects of repairing infrastructure.

Demonstrations, which were attended by students, have remained largely peaceful for several months, but this week the situation escalated. President Vučić rejected the protesters' demands to hold early parliamentary elections.

Vučić accused the protesters of receiving instructions from abroad to "destroy Serbia." He criticized the media for their coverage, which he deemed biased.

After a video surfaced on social media showing a young man in Valjevo being beaten by the police, thousands of people took to the streets in protest in the city.

This incident marked the second attack on the offices of the SNS in a week, after protesters vandalized the party headquarters in the city of Novi Sad.

Clashes between SNS supporters and the police, on one side, and anti-government protesters, on the other, took place last night. Dozens of people were injured, and many were detained.

General Secretary of the Council of Europe, Alen Beršek, called for "calm and respect for the right to peaceful assembly." Serbian authorities are obliged to adhere to the standards of the Council of Europe.

The Serbian police denied the allegations of brutality, stating that they were responding to attacks, and dozens of officers were injured during the unrest.

Serbia is officially seeking EU membership, but Vučić maintains close ties with Russia and China. He has been accused of undermining democratic freedoms and fostering organized crime and corruption.

Tags: Europe/Politics