Serbians take to streets in anti-government protests following mass shootings

10/6/2023 6:31

        Tens of thousands of Serbians joined an anti-government protest in Belgrade on Friday for the sixth time since May 3, blaming a culture of violence for the deaths of 18 people in two mass shootings and calling on the interior minister to resign.
        
        Chanting "(Serbian President Aleksandar) Vucic out!" and holding a big banner reading "Students against violence," the protesters gathered in front of the parliament and marched to the government building.
        
        Serbia was rocked last month by two unprecedented shootings that happened on consecutive days. On May 3, a teenager killed ten at an elementary school. On May 4, a 21-year-old man killed eight in a town near Belgrade.
        
        Protesters are demanding the resignation of Serbia's interior minister Bratislav Gasic and secret service chief Aleksandar Vulin, who they blame for failing to bring criminal groups to justice.
        
        They also want the withdrawal of national broadcast licences for television channels Pink TV and Happy TV and a ban on some tabloids who they blame for promoting violence.