Riots in Belgrade after new lockdown, protesters storm the parliament

In the Serbian capital Belgrade, dozens of protesters entered the parliament building on Tuesday evening. They did so shortly after President Aleksandar Vučić announced new intrusive measures to the city following a new revival of the corona virus. Riots broke out on the street.

After a record number of corona deaths in one day, measures against the virus in Serbia are being intensified again. Next weekend, curfews will apply to Belgrade, and possibly the rest of the country. People are also allowed to be together with five at most.

Demonstrators react furiously and demand that the government reverse the measures. Thousands stood in the street and lit fireworks. In the middle of the parliament building, dozens of people chanted “Arrest Vučić!” and “Police, go back to Kosovo!”. The group was soon driven out of the building. The police were, among other things, pelted with eggs and stones. Several police cars also went up in flames.

President Vučić announced the measures earlier in the evening. He spoke of an alarming revival of the virus in the Balkans, especially in Belgrade. Serbia seemed to have got the outbreak under control in early May. But the number of infections is now increasing rapidly. There were about 50 infections a day a month ago, now 300 to 350 are counted. Authorities also reported that the past 24 days, 13 people succumbed to the virus, the highest number to date.

The government eased corona measures at a rapid pace, allowing massive sports events to continue. Elections were also held on June 21. The coronavirus has infected approximately 17,000 people in Serbia so far, some 330 have succumbed.

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