BELGRADE: Serbian police used teargas and crowd control vehicles on Friday evening to disperse anti-government protesters in Belgrade.
Protesters threw firecrackers and flares at officers, escalating tensions in the nine-month-long demonstrations.
The crowd gathered near the army headquarters building, which was bombed by NATO in 1999, before clashes erupted.
Trash containers were overturned and set on fire, while one tree also caught fire during the unrest.
Similar protests occurred in Novi Sad, Nis, Kragujevac, and Valjevo, with teargas also used in Nis.
No official figures were released on the number of injuries from the latest clashes.
The protests began after 16 people died in a railway station roof collapse in Novi Sad, sparking nationwide anger.
Until Wednesday, demonstrations had been largely peaceful, but recent clashes left 27 officers and 80 civilians injured.
President Aleksandar Vucic told RTS TV that 3,000 police officers are deployed nightly, facing attacks and injuries.
Protesters accuse the government of corruption linked to the railway disaster and demand early elections.
Opposition groups and activists allege Vucic’s party has ties to organised crime and suppresses media freedoms.
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty condemned police use of disproportionate force.
He urged authorities to avoid excessive measures and de-escalate the situation amid ongoing human rights concerns. – Reuters
