Serbia: Arrests of Students and Citizens Continue, Some Streets Blocked, More Than 30 Public Transit Lines Out of Service

AUTHOR: M.J. GDNUS

Several students and citizens were once again detained during the evening and night in Serbia, N1 reports. Police continued to dismantle blockades, and as of this morning, Belgrade’s streets are again passable for traffic. Civil disobedience across Serbia continues.

The civil disobedience has been ongoing for five days, since the Vidovdan protest on June 28.

This morning, citizens and students are intermittently blocking certain streets in Belgrade, and more than 30 lines of the City Public Transport Company (GSP) are not operating, as confirmed to Radio-Television of Serbia (RTS) by the company’s Dispatch Center.

According to the RTS website, Yuri Gagarin Street and Gandijeva Street in New Belgrade are blocked, while in Zemun, Aleksandar Dubček Street and 22nd October Street are impassable.

It is also reported that the intersection of 27th March Street and Starina Novak Street in the city center is blocked.

Today marks the fourth day of citizens organizing static and mobile blockades of major intersections in cities across Serbia.

Several incidents were recorded last night in which cars broke through blockades.

One student was arrested during a police operation to prevent a blockade in Dorćol.

In Novi Sad, two blockade participants were slightly injured. In Niš, participants in the blockades received misdemeanor citations.

This form of civil disobedience began on Sunday evening, the day after a gathering in Belgrade during which there were clashes between citizens and the police.

Students and other demonstrators participating in the blockades are demanding the calling of snap parliamentary elections, the disbanding of the group assembled in Pionirski Park in Belgrade claiming to be students who want to study, and the release of students unlawfully detained after Saturday’s protest.

Tension During the Night in Novi Sad

After 16 minutes of silence at 11:52 p.m. last night in Novi Sad, shortly before 1 a.m., the Gendarmerie moved in to clear the blockades in the city.

Arrests Continue in Niš

During the evening and night, more students and citizens were detained in Niš. One student claims that a police officer slapped him inside an official vehicle, where he was held for a full hour.

Niš police have ignored N1’s questions regarding the interventions and arrests following Monday night’s protest.