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Anti-corruption protesters, riot police, and supporters of President Aleksandar Vucic faced off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade on Saturday as thousands thronged the streets for huge anti-government rallies following a night of sporadic clashes, Reuters reported.
According to the report, hundreds of police officers were deployed in and around Pionirski Park, where Vucic supporters have been campaigning for a week now.
The rally was fueled by mounting frustration over corruption and recent disasters, including a fatal roof collapse at the Novi Sad train station in November last year that left 14 dead, with many blaming the government corruption and mismanagement for the tragedy.
Protesters held up banners reading “He’s finished!” and chanted “Pump it up,” a slogan that has gained traction during weeks of protests, The Guardian reported.
As rumours of potential violence swirled, police reported an alarming incident where a man rammed his car into a group of protesters in a Belgrade suburb, injuring three people.
President Vučić, who has dominated Serbian politics since becoming prime minister in 2014 and president in 2017, has been defiant in the face of growing opposition.
Speaking earlier this week, he warned that protesters would never force him from office, declaring, “You will have to kill me if you want to replace me.”
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