Protest held against demolition in Savamala

While criticizing the way in which the relevant bodies responded to the events of the night of April 25th, the organizers of the protest, the representatives of the initiative "Do Not Drown Belgrade", called for the dismissal of Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic, the acting director of the police, Vladimir Rebic, Belgrade Mayor Sinisa Mali, the chief of the Community Police, Nikola Ristic, and the speaker of the Belgrade City Assembly, Nikola Nikodijevic.

The main message of the protest was "This will Not Pass!", and the gathered people carried banners reading: "Everything is Clear, Only Truth is Hidden", "Crime City", "I Only Saw the Eyes in the Electoral Night", "This Bulldozer is Small", "Rubble Behind Us, But Fear is Not Ahead", "Because of Freedom", "Savamala Today, Your Home Tomorrow" and "The Streets Belong to Us". Some participants also wore balaclavas.

The representative of the initiative "Do Not Give Up (Drown) Belgrade", Radomir Lazovic, said that the people had gathered because they were "not stupid or crazy, and they see what is happening in this country." He said that the purpose of the balaclavas in the election night was not to hide anyone, but to intimidate, and that they had failed.

"We are here to tell them that this will not pass. They have succeeded in intimidating the police, which should protect the citizens, and which has covered up their violence. It's been a long while since such a lie had been planted as the truth. They steal, lie, snatch, and everyone sees and knows it," Lazovic said.

A representative of the initiative "Do Not Give Up (Drown) Belgrade", Dobrica Veselinovic, said that the purpose of the protest was for the population to raise their voice against the lies and the theft.

"They are afraid of all of you, they know we have the power, and not them... We seek liability and resignations," Veselinovic said, adding that those whose resignations are sought had 14 days to hand them in, or a new protest would be held in front of the City Hall.

At the end of the protest, the participants threw toilette paper on the City Hall building because, as Veselinovic said "their lies stink and we know who are the people with balaclavas." They then formed a procession which marched to the government building in Nemanjina Street, where they submitted the requests for the dismissal of the helm of the police and of the city.

During the march, they chanted "Gang, Gang", "Thieves" and "Whose City? - Our City!"

Besides a number of citizens, the protest was also attended by the representatives of certain opposition parties and public figures.

The protest lasted for two hours and passed without incidents, and was secured by a small number of policemen.