Opposition events referred to as for presidency resignations after two mass shootings final week
Mass rallies in Belgrade and Novi Unhappy on Monday demanded the federal government do one thing, after 17 individuals – together with eight youngsters – died in two mass shootings final week. Opposition activists used the protest to demand resignations of extra authorities officers, after the schooling minister’s exit.
Demonstrators marched by the streets of the capital beneath the slogan “Serbia in opposition to violence.” Activists who claimed to talk on their behalf referred to as for “ending the promotion of violence within the media and in public,” sacking the present media regulatory physique, and censoring sure media retailers.
Final Wednesday a 13-year-old scholar at Belgrade’s Vladislav Ribnikar Elementary Faculty fatally shot eight of his classmates and a safety guard, whereas wounding six extra college students and a instructor. On Thursday night, eight extra individuals have been killed and 14 wounded within the close by municipality of Mladenovac. The suspected shooter was arrested after an eight-hour manhunt.
Schooling minister Branko Ruzic resigned on Sunday. The activists additionally demanded the resignations of police minister Bratislav Gasic and director of the BIA safety service Aleksandar Vulin.
President Aleksandar Vucic has already proposed a set of measures, together with a confiscation of unregistered weapons, tighter controls on firearm licensing, and a crackdown on media and on-line content material that promotes or glorifies violence.
In an interview on Monday night, Vucic criticized the opposition events for hijacking the Serbians’ grief to additional their very own agenda, calling them “the worst dregs of politics, similar to in 2000,” in reference to the US-backed shade revolution.
Essentially the most outspoken protesters have been “overtly anti-Serb,” Vucic mentioned on Completely satisfied TV – one of many retailers the opposition desires censored.
“Kids are on social media, they play odd video games,” he mentioned. “We have now to discover a resolution, however I received’t comply with any form of censorship.” Vucic additionally doubted that actuality exhibits have been the basis explanation for violence, since their most important viewers was 55 and older, however added he was prepared to look into regulating them extra.
Serbian police have introduced a month-long amnesty for handing over unlawful weapons, which can run by June 8. On the primary day of the marketing campaign, residents turned in 1,500 firearms, virtually 50,000 rounds of ammunition, and about 100 hand grenades, rocket-propelled grenades and different explosive units, police mentioned in an announcement.
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