Protests Erupt Across Serbia in Solidarity with Victimized Faculty Member
Nationwide demonstrations held to support Niš faculty dean after attack and to protest media treatment of activists.
In a series of coordinated protests across Serbia, students, professors, and citizens gathered to express solidarity with Natalija Jovanović, the dean of the Faculty of Philosophy in Niš, who was recently attacked with a knife.
Demonstrations took place in multiple cities including Niš, Belgrade, Kragujevac, and Čačak.
In Niš, around 8 PM local time, students and faculty members assembled outside the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office to support Jovanović.
Sanja Ignjatović, the vice-dean of the Niš faculty, highlighted a campaign of what she termed 'media lynching' that has targeted students and faculty for the past four months, as well as citizens supporting justice efforts.
Ignjatović stated that following a previous protest in Belgrade on March 15, the Serbian government attempted to undermine demonstrations through various measures, including putting pressure on academics to sanction students and revising regulatory standards that would affect faculty remuneration.
She emphasized the unwillingness of protestors to return to what she described as a 'simulated reality'.
After honoring the victims of violence, the protest in Niš concluded, with organizers calling for a commemorative gathering in the city's center at 10:30 AM the following day.
In Belgrade, participants began a protest march from Nikola Pašić Square, moving past the offices of three media outlets seen as pro-government.
This demonstration, termed the 'Line of Shame', sought to draw attention to the perceived complicity of these media in the vilification of activists.
Similar actions occurred in Kragujevac, where participants paid their respects and concluded their protest shortly after.
They announced plans for a five-hour blockade of two intersections in anticipation of further demonstrations.
In Čačak, two protests were held concurrently: one against the alleged use of sound cannons during the March 15 demonstration in Belgrade, and another in support of Jovanović.
Approximately one hundred citizens blocked a roundabout in Čačak at 7:11 PM in response to the reports regarding the protest tactics employed during earlier demonstrations.
These protests signify a growing discontent among various segments of the Serbian population regarding government actions, media portrayal of dissent, and the call for accountability in the face of violence.
Demonstrations took place in multiple cities including Niš, Belgrade, Kragujevac, and Čačak.
In Niš, around 8 PM local time, students and faculty members assembled outside the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office to support Jovanović.
Sanja Ignjatović, the vice-dean of the Niš faculty, highlighted a campaign of what she termed 'media lynching' that has targeted students and faculty for the past four months, as well as citizens supporting justice efforts.
Ignjatović stated that following a previous protest in Belgrade on March 15, the Serbian government attempted to undermine demonstrations through various measures, including putting pressure on academics to sanction students and revising regulatory standards that would affect faculty remuneration.
She emphasized the unwillingness of protestors to return to what she described as a 'simulated reality'.
After honoring the victims of violence, the protest in Niš concluded, with organizers calling for a commemorative gathering in the city's center at 10:30 AM the following day.
In Belgrade, participants began a protest march from Nikola Pašić Square, moving past the offices of three media outlets seen as pro-government.
This demonstration, termed the 'Line of Shame', sought to draw attention to the perceived complicity of these media in the vilification of activists.
Similar actions occurred in Kragujevac, where participants paid their respects and concluded their protest shortly after.
They announced plans for a five-hour blockade of two intersections in anticipation of further demonstrations.
In Čačak, two protests were held concurrently: one against the alleged use of sound cannons during the March 15 demonstration in Belgrade, and another in support of Jovanović.
Approximately one hundred citizens blocked a roundabout in Čačak at 7:11 PM in response to the reports regarding the protest tactics employed during earlier demonstrations.
These protests signify a growing discontent among various segments of the Serbian population regarding government actions, media portrayal of dissent, and the call for accountability in the face of violence.
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