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Minor rioting in front of the US ambassy (updated)
Posted 2008-02-17 19:52 under Breaking News by Viktor Marković / 23 comments
This is an article about an earlier protest. To read about the new protest, rioting and latest developements, click here
update
There are still groups of vandals throughout the city, but it seems that the police finaly decided to put an end to this, after abour 30 of them got injured. Here’s the aftermath:
Slovenian embassy, American embassy, 2 McDonnalds restaurants, French embassy, Slovenian supermarket in Novi Sad, lots of trashcans, young trees and some cars have been smashed (including Brasilian ambasador’s car who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time), lots of broken glass and dumpsters set on fire in the center. Nothing unexpected, I dare say.
Earler today:
Except for the broken windows, destroyed public property in front of the ambassy and several mildly bruised antiriot policemen, due to the stones and flares throwing, nothing big happened. Group of mostly younger people, probably football hoolingans, tried to enter the embassy at one point, but all they managed to do is to break all the windows and a gate. Here’s some video footage I managed to record:
New video:
Uploaded before:
Slovenian embassy is, as I understand from the news, heavily damaged.
In other cities where demonstrations took place, such as Novi Sad, there were no such incidents.
Comment
Commenting is closed for this article.
bganon on 18/02/08 12:08 AM
I watched, or some might say, took part in this, sort of by accident this evening.
Taking a leisurely coffee on republic square I sort of expected the hooligans to turn up. The context was a basketball match between zvezda and partizan. Everybody had been banned apart from season ticket holders so the hooligans decided to descend on the centre instead.
I followed them around, listened to what they were saying amongst themselves – not a peep about Kosovo. It was all about how to effectively settle scores with the Belgrade police. They called each other on mobiles to co-ordinate activity. To be completely honest most of these people dont have a clue about anything, apart from how to rebel against authority.
At one stage I got caught up in the conflict and was chased by police. Yeah, I remembered what it was like to provoke the police as a young male – it gives you an adrenaline rush. I remembered what it was like to feel an association (bourne on victimisation) with strangers from the brutal uniformed men.
To sum up the whole of this was a charade. The police arrested…. nobody. The hooligans suffered no serious injuries. Everybody went home feeling slightly victorious. And what was done?
Oh nothing, apart from further negative images of Serbia on televisions. In Pristina happy, friendly Albanians, in Belgrade angry, violent Serbs. Well done everybody!
Viktor on 18/02/08 12:42 AM
Hey, if you had called a bit earlier, we could have been chased by the police together, I had to back up in Kneza Milosa when they tried to break up the hooligans. Turned out they were incredilby mild, so the hooligans went back to the embassy. I went home, it was freezing so I couldn’t record any longer.
I hear from some sources that the police themselves were very eager to intervene from the beggining (this doesn’t surprise me, I must say), but they got the orders to remain passive. I suspected something like that was ordered, because I tell you, I have never seen the police here act so passively like tonite.
Sasha on 18/02/08 02:38 AM
We keep putting our crippled foot forward whenever an opportunity presents itself. No wonder the world would not trust us with Kosovo…Shameful. Pathetic. Retarded. Nothing else comes to mind.
Marko on 18/02/08 06:38 PM
Come on Viktor, give the police some credit, they were also passive when the mosque was burned, and during the exhibition by artists from Kosovo, and during gay pride…
Marek on 18/02/08 08:20 PM
Przepraszamy Was Serbowie za nasz rząd zgadzający się uznać Kosovo za niepodległe. TO RZĄD A NIE NARÓD!!!!! Nie wiedzó co czynią... Izvolte za Kosovo….
David on 18/02/08 11:14 PM
Thanks for all of the details. I can’t find this kind of personalized information anywhere else, and it’s so important.
smokva on 19/02/08 02:22 AM
@Sasha
You’ve figured it out. No wonder we are where we are. We are the only country in the world with delinquent youthes like ours and the only country with such an ineffective police force. You’re a genius Sasha.
SASHA FOR PRESIDENT.
Sasha on 19/02/08 02:44 AM
Smokva,
No. We’re not the only one, we’re just ALWAYS in the worst possible company. And we’re way too consistent in not functioning properly on ANY level, EVER. I hope you’re not trying to say that this is OK since it happens elsewhere too. When a country has this many problems with international (and domestic, I dare say) image, it needs to try and achieve way more than those who do not suffer from same issues, just to keep head above water. Or, if you’re trying to be cynical, god forbid we set some high standards and attempt to reach them. We may end up loosing our national identity.
And yes, if I ever do run for president you should support my nomination.
smokva on 19/02/08 05:06 AM
@Sasha
I was trying to say that other countries have the same or similar problems to ours and yet their country remains in tact. So maybe there are other factors, not only internal. Yes we should set high standards and try to follow them. I would support you if you ran for president and you had a realistic plan to solve all of this, instead of just calling people retarded. On that note, what would be your plan to stop our youth from rioting? Or solve any of our other problems? You or any of your educated blog writing friends that are so smart and good at pointing out faults on their high horses, sipping your cappuccinos in a comfortable little cafe some where and writing this on your shiny laptops. Please forgive these young pathetic retards. Being Serbs, they are probably genetically prone to this kind of behaviour.
Sasha on 19/02/08 06:36 AM
Oh, smokva, I see where this leads. This back and forth ends in nothing that’s worth my while. I do think you have some valid points but have no desire to argue endlessly, my “shiny laptop” is way too elegant for that. Forgive me for not having sufficient motivation to entertain you.
Moe on 19/02/08 10:40 AM
Hi all, i am from germany and about to visit Belgrad in the next weeks for a few days. Can anyone give me a situation update right now in Belgrade? In our local newspapers it is said that people in serbia (i know, stereotypes for the win!) are accusing germans, french and americans for the kosovo situation. But it gives me a hard time to imagine that people will be angry towards the average german student coming to your contry for university-related topics… So, would you say its all just blown out of proportion by the medias, or do you really have some guys on the streets seeking for foreigners to blame their frustration on? Thanks for responses, and also thanks for this homepage. Very good source for information!
Owen on 19/02/08 11:31 AM
What BgAnon reports has the ring of truth. Yes, Smokva, other countries do have similar problems but not within an overall framework of isolation from reality. What BgAnon has reported here was worth ten thousand cubic metres of hot air from outraged individuals who refuse to understand why Kosova is now independent. That hot air is the reason why the outside world doesn’t comprehend and has simply stopped listening to Serbia.
Nemanja (bg 2.0) on 19/02/08 02:56 PM
Moe,
since no one tried to demolish the German embassy, I think you can relax and enjoy your visit. ;-)
*yesterday, while going home from work, I heard two guys talking, one of them was apparently on the streets that evening, and he said: “No, I didn’t break anything, I was just fighting the police (the gendarmes, as the hooligans like to call them)”; it sounded like: “I was just passing by, eating an ice cream, and then made a brief stop, just to say hello to some old friends”.
bganon on 19/02/08 03:22 PM
Moe dont worry everything will be fine. The only precaution, if you found yourself in the unlikely situation of being in the middle of the hooligans, would be to keep your mouth shut. The hooligans are too focussed on the police and arent really a threat to people.
I’m going back to my haunt on republic square this evening to sip at my cappucinno and take notes on my spanking new laptop. Still I wont be having as much fun as the young boys outside. Makes me wish I was young again :)
Viktor on 19/02/08 03:34 PM
Bganon, you could use your new laptop to smash something as a sign of protest – a traffic light maybe, or a trash can! :D
bganon on 19/02/08 03:41 PM
:)
To move back to the Kosovo issue, but to keep it light hearted, a cartoon from this mornings Guardian (which is the least we can do seeing as they linked here yesterday)
Owen on 21/02/08 04:01 PM
How serious is the threat to Natasa Kandic – the “woman who has ceased to exist” – as reported by Dragan Grcic? http://serbie-droitshumains.blogspot.com/
Didn’t Nikolic make some sort of veiled comment like that before Dzindzic was killed?
Owen on 21/02/08 04:44 PM
Sorry, the wording Amnesty used for the Vecernje Novosti headline in the report linked to by Dragan was “[Nataša Kandic,] the woman who does not exist”.
John on 21/02/08 08:47 PM
This all makes me sad actually :-(....
I was told today that a group of teens were killed in a Novi Sad disco-tec. I haven’t been able to find any truth to this yet – anyone know of this actually happening?
The violence, greed and piss poor leadership (East and West) is a never ending battle against the people of the world. How far along with it continue before the people stand up for what is right? How far along will it continue that the people act selfish and apathetic?
A part of me says for no one to intervene and let them kill each other – yet another part of me wishes someone or something can put a stop to this never ending hatred! Jebiga…. :-(
Daniel on 21/02/08 10:20 PM
The question Serbia must ask itself now is why so much of the free world agrees with independence for Kosovo – and why so many of the single party states and fractured nations do not.
Had Serbia owned up to it’s part in the Balkan war in the 90s; and it’s unapologetic support for rapists, thugs and gangsters; this event might not have come to pass. It was not just Milosevic etc. – as the recent electoral support for Tomislav Nikolic and the nationalist Radical Party so clearly showed.
I am sorry that this has happened, as it brings more division – but I cannot condemn it given the past and present behavior and attitudes of a large number of Serbs, both inside and outside of Serbia. This is Serbia’s tradgedy; and it continues to be made at home – led by people who can offer you nothing but more isolation, hatred and slogans.
Niki on 22/02/08 12:03 AM
You see what serbians do…fight fight fightt…..who wants to be part of them huh????
I dont feel sorry at all for serbians…. i care about US Ambassy and others….They lost Kosovo, why waiste time and protests…making fool of themselves…
Kosovar’s are way different from Serbians, Serbians dont like Kosovar’s its bull shit….they killed kids, what a hell is that…just Gorillas do that. like serbians….
Im happy that 22 countires recognized their independece …I hope Canada will soon….
Serbians: Move on…You Lost
Val on 22/02/08 03:18 AM
Dear Niki,
You will see what Kosovo will mean to the world,and you of course.
Serbian guy started World War I,holy Serbian Kosovo will started World War III. Dont laugh…Serbia is something what you do not know!
Viktor on 22/02/08 03:28 AM
This is a comment section for the article about an earlier protest. To read about the new protest, rioting and latest developements, click here