Anti-government protests in Serbia turn violent

Violent clashes have escalated in Serbia's anti-government protests, with police accused of brutality against demonstrators and unrest in cities continuing for a third night.

Anti-government protests in Serbia intensified on Friday evening amid reports of police brutality and excessive use of force, The Guardian reports. Unrest has broken out in cities across the Balkan country, including in the capital Belgrade, where police fired tear gas at demonstrators and tried to separate rival groups of protesters.

Dozens of people have been injured in violent clashes and hundreds have been detained over the past week as nine months of largely peaceful anti-corruption and pro-democracy protests reach boiling point, The Guardian notes.

On Friday evening, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said the state was stronger than any protest and praised police for their behavior during recent demonstrations.

Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic denied that police used excessive force, instead accusing protesters of attacking police.

Videos on social media showed police wielding shields and batons beating protesters as flares lit up the streets. Friday's rallies were held under the slogan: "Let's show them we are not a punching bag." Demonstrators reportedly threw stones and eggs at police, who then attacked them on a wide boulevard in front of the Serbian government building.

Clashes broke out between police, anti-government protesters and Vucic supporters. Pro-government demonstrators were accused of throwing fireworks, rocks and glass bottles at anti-government protesters, The Guardian reports.

In the northern city of Novi Sad on Thursday evening, anti-government protesters attacked the headquarters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), chanting “he’s finished,” smashing windows and covering the walls with red paint.

Student protests began last November after 16 people died when part of the roof of Novi Sad's train station collapsed, The Guardian reports. Many blamed the tragedy on deep-rooted corruption and negligence in state infrastructure projects.

Vigils for the victims quickly turned into mass demonstrations, with hundreds of thousands of Serbs demanding an investigation into the tragedy and early elections.

The protests have rocked the Serbian government, leading Milos Vucevic, who was prime minister at the time of the Novi Sad disaster, to resign and his cabinet to be dissolved. However, President Vucic remains in power despite accusations that he is “suppressing democratic freedoms while allowing corruption to flourish.”

Alain Berset, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, wrote on social media on Friday that he was “concerned” about the violent protests in Serbia. “I call for calm and respect for the right to peaceful assembly. The Serbian authorities must comply with Council of Europe standards. The rule of law and respect for human rights must prevail.”