Police fire tear gas as thousands protest against Serbia’s President Vucic

President Vucic maintains clasp connected powerfulness aft 8 months of protests implicit extortion clang that critics allege was linked to graft.

Riot constabulary person fired teardrop state arsenic tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, demanding an aboriginal predetermination successful a bid to extremity the 12-year regularisation of President Aleksandar Vucic.

There were besides reports that immoderate of the protesters threw flares astatine constabulary arsenic the rally coiled down astatine astir 10pm (20:00GMT) connected Saturday.

Protesters shouted “Keep the shields down”, calling connected the constabulary to halt intervening.

The objection was organised by Serbia’s assemblage students, a driving unit down nationwide protests that started astir 8 months agone aft the deadly illness of a renovated factual obstruction presumption extortion successful the bluish metropolis of Novi Sad killed 16 people.

The tragedy past November became a flashpoint for frustrations with the government, with galore Serbians saying that it had been caused by alleged corruption and negligence successful authorities infrastructure projects.

Under pressure, Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigned astatine the commencement of this year, but Vucic remains successful power.

Serbian subject veterans march on with students astatine Saturday’s anti-government rally successful Belgrade, Serbia, pressing for an aboriginal predetermination [Darko Vojinovic/AP]

Serbia’s railway institution halted bid work implicit an alleged weaponry menace successful what critics said was an evident bid to forestall radical from travelling to Belgrade for the rally.

Hours earlier the rally astatine Slavija Square and Nemanjina Avenue, Vucic’s enactment sent successful buses of its ain supporters from different parts of the country, galore wearing T-shirts reading: “We won’t springiness up Serbia”.

They were joining loyalists who person been camping adjacent Vucic’s bureau successful cardinal Belgrade since mid-March.

Vucic, a populist whose Progressive Party-led conjugation holds 156 of 250 parliamentary seats, told reporters connected Saturday that unspecified “foreign powers” were down the protest. He said constabulary should beryllium restrained, but warned that “thugs volition look justice”.

Vucic has antecedently refused drawback elections and has been intent connected continuing his 2nd term, which ends successful 2027, erstwhile determination are besides parliamentary elections scheduled.

But his clasp connected powerfulness has been rattled, with opponents accusing him and allies of ties to organised crime, unit against rivals and curbing media freedoms – charges they deny.

Earlier this week, constabulary arrested respective radical accused of allegedly plotting to overthrow the authorities and banned introduction into the country, without explanation, to respective radical from Croatia and a theatre manager from Montenegro.