Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Eugene

(61,593 posts)
Wed Jul 8, 2020, 09:04 PM Jul 2020

Serbia Seems To Relent On Coronavirus Curfew After Violence Erupts In Belgrade

Source: NPR

Serbia Seems To Relent On Coronavirus Curfew After Violence Erupts In Belgrade

July 8, 2020 3:12 PM ET
COLIN DWYER

Updated at 3:45 p.m. ET

The curfew in Serbia appears to have ended before it could even begin.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić suggested Wednesday that the country would "probably" not reinstate a curfew this weekend, less than a day after its announcement led to bloodshed in the capital. The country's health ministry clarified that officials have yet to make a final decision, even as new cases have surged.

Demonstrators gathered overnight in Belgrade to protest the coronavirus-prevention measure, some clashing with police outside parliament and even trying to storm the building.

Dozens of people were injured in the violence, which Vučić blamed primarily on "right-wing and pro-fascist demonstrators." He also said the Serbian government has evidence — without presenting any — that foreign intelligence officials were goading on the violence in an effort to destabilize Serbia.

Video on local media shows law enforcement resorting to the use of tear gas and a show of force that many observers criticized as excessive. Social media were awash with images of officers clubbing and roughly arresting protesters — though Vučić defended the police actions.

-snip-


Read more: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/07/08/888948015/serbia-seems-to-relent-on-coronavirus-curfew-after-violence-erupts-in-belgrade
4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Serbia Seems To Relent On Coronavirus Curfew After Violence Erupts In Belgrade (Original Post) Eugene Jul 2020 OP
Related thread with videos soothsayer Jul 2020 #1
and a reminder that Giuliani was Vucic's consultant! soothsayer Jul 2020 #2
Where's that lose, Bannon? 2naSalit Jul 2020 #3
"right-wing and pro-fascist demonstrators" sandensea Jul 2020 #4

sandensea

(21,528 posts)
4. "right-wing and pro-fascist demonstrators"
Thu Jul 9, 2020, 12:25 AM
Jul 2020

How predictable.

World leaders can't let those knuckle-draggers arm-twist them into making the Covid policy they want - which, of course, is none at all.

In Argentina - where one of the world's earliest and toughest stay-home orders (March 19) helped the country avoid the public health disaster currently assailing neighboring Brazil, Chile, and Peru - the president and the mayor of Buenos Aires relented in May after a few wingnut protests (mostly Macri's old voters).

And now they're having a very hard time containing it in the Buenos Aires metro area - which has become a hotspot (3,000 cases a day, for 14 million people).

The moral of the story? Let the hotheads pound sand.



Argentine anti-lockdown protest leader José Spotorno (right) and far-right Congressman Fernando Iglesias.

Spotorno, 74, later caught Covid-19, and died last week.
Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Foreign Affairs»Serbia Seems To Relent On...