Serbia: Tens of thousands join protests after two deadly mass shootings
Tens of thousands of Serbs are protesting in Belgrade and another city against gun violence following two mass shootings that killed 17 people last week, including eight children in a primary school. Protesters are demanding top government officials resign and want newspapers and TV stations promoting violence to be shut down.
Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vucic, condemned the protests and accused the opposition of capitalising on the tragedy to promote their interests. However, he has announced a one-month amnesty for surrendering illegal weapons, with people able to drop off their guns to the police with no questions asked. On the first day of the amnesty, around 1,500 guns were surrendered.
Serbia has the highest rates of gun ownership in Europe, with 39 guns per 100 people, the majority unlicensed. The protesters also called for the resignation of the interior minister and the head of Serbia’s intelligence agency. Meanwhile, Serbia’s Education Minister, Branko Ruzic, stepped down citing the “cataclysmic tragedy” of the recent school massacre. Police were stationed near all of Belgrade’s schools as they reopened on Monday, and the government is planning to recruit more officers to be stationed at schools.