Serbia’s president Aleksandar Vucic has denied that his police forces used a banned ‘sonic weapon’ to disperse protesters in Belgrade.
“It is a vile lie,” he said in an address to the nation.
“I have had the opportunity to see this weapon abroad, and it emits a strong, piercing sound. That sound was not heard on the streets of Belgrade on Saturday night.”
He added that an investigation will be opened, but warned “they should also prosecute those who went public with such a notorious lie.”
What are the accusations?
During a fifteen-minute commemorative silence, eyewitnesses reported hearing a sudden piercing noise, causing the crowd to scatter in a panic.
Speaking to local media, military analyst Aleksandar Radic said the sound must have originated from a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), commonly known as a sonic weapon. The device is “primarily used for incapacitation,” according to Radic.
The Belgrade Center for Security Policy, a Serbian NGO, condemned the government for allegedly using the weapon.
“This act represents a blatant display of force and an attempt to incite chaos, aiming to delegitimize protests and criminalize peaceful citizens,” they said in a statement.
They also noted that use of such a weapon is illegal under Serbian police law.
Serbia’s largest-ever protest
The protests in Belgrade saw the largest crowds in the nation’s history. Official police estimates count just over 100,000 people, while independent monitors place the total at over 300,000.
The Saturday march is seen as a culmination of a monthslong protest movement spearheaded by Serbian students. The protesters demanded accountability for the deaths of 15 people in Novi Sad who were killed by falling rubble as the outdoor roof section of a train station caved in on them.
In a wider sense, the movement has also encapsulated a whole range of complaints against Vucic and his government, including allegations of widespread corruption, nepotism, mismanaging natural resources, voter fraud, media control and muddled responses to previous deadly incidents linked to government officials.
Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic and Novi Sad mayor Milan Djuric have already resigned amid the protests.
Huge crowds join anti-government rally in Belgrade
Edited by: Alex Berry