Belgrade, Serbia (AP) — Tens of thousands of people descended on Belgrade on Saturday as part of a massive rally seen as the culmination of months of protests against Serbian populist president Alexander Vic and his government.
A crowd of flag-waving protesters gathered after meeting at several agreed protest venues in various parts of the capital. All public transport has been cancelled.
Prior to the demonstrations, Vucic repeatedly warned about allegations of planning for anxiety, while threatening arrests and harsh sentences for the incident.
On Saturday, the deafening sounds of whistles, drums and Vubzeras filled the air. Some protesters carried banners with the words “He's finished!” The crowd chanted “Pump It Up.” This is a slogan adopted during the past four months of student-led protests.
“I hope this will shake his authority and that Vic will realize that people don't have any more for him,” said protester Mirenko Kobasevic.
The rally is expected to be the biggest anti-government protest ever held in the Balkan country, but comes after more than four months of anti-corruption protests who pose the biggest challenge to Vucic's power after 13 years of responsibility.
Protesting university students have led the national anti-graft movement that began after the train collapsed on November 1st at the railway station, killing 15 people in northern Serbia.
On Friday evening, tens of thousands of people gave a pleasant welcome to students marching or cycling from all over Serbia for several days towards Belgrade.
Home Minister Ivica Dacic said 13 people were taken into custody overnight on the RTS broadcasting station. He said police have detained six opposition activists who allegedly plotted to incite anxiety in a coup.
By Saturday morning, people had gathered in different parts of the city as they marched towards the centre. The entire Downtown Zone was packed with people hours before the scheduled start of the rally.
Reflecting the tension, police said they arrested a man who plunged his car into a protester outside Belgrade and injured three people. Hundreds of police officers were deployed inside and outside the government buildings and in front of the President's Palace.
Belgrade authorities have cancelled all public transport, including intercity railways and bus links, in an apparent effort to prevent people from attending the assembly. The transport company said the cancellation was made “for security reasons.”
Several reporters from nearby Croatia and Slovenia have been retreated from the Serbian border under the explanation that their presence at the rally “represents a security risk.”
Vucic rejected previous proposals for a transitional government preparing for early elections. Promoting fear of conflict, Vucic's supporters are camping in central Belgrade in front of his headquarters. They include former members of the horrific paramilitary organization involved in the assassination of Serbia's first Democratic Prime Minister, Zoran Zinzic in 2003, and a football hooligan known for causing violence.
Saturday's Private N1 TV is in a vokick-shaped camp with footage from dozens of young men wearing baseball caps.
Vucic claims that the Western intelligence agency is behind almost daily student-led protests with the aim of ousting him out of power. He has not provided any evidence of the claim.
Students hit a chord among citizens who were disillusioned with politicians and lost faith in state institutions. Previous student-led gatherings in other Serbian cities were peaceful while attracting large crowds.
