Tens of thousands of Serbians have rallied in the capital, Belgrade, with the protesters calling for the resignation of top officials and the curtailing of violence in the media, after back-to-back shootings stunned the Balkan country.
The “Serbia against violence” demonstration saw members from across the country’s political divide come together after last week’s shootings in which 17 people were killed in less than 48 hours – including nine at an elementary school in the capital.
“We demand an immediate stop to further promotion of violence in the media and public space, as well as responsibility for the longstanding inadequate response from competent authorities,” the leftist Do Not Let Belgrade Drown party said in a statement.
More than 10,000 demonstrators marched in silence and gathered in front of the country’s parliament before taking to the streets to rally near Serbia’s government offices.
“We are here because we can’t wait any longer. We’ve waited too long, we’ve been silent too long, we’ve turned our heads too long,” Marina Vidojevic, an elementary school teacher, told the crowd.
“We want safe schools, streets, villages and cities for all children.”
The protesters also called for the resignation of a number of top officials, including the interior minister and the head of Serbia’s intelligence agency.
On Sunday, the education minister stepped down, citing the “cataclysmic tragedy” of last week’s school shooting in his resignation letter.
The opposition is also demanding that reality shows known for promoting violence should be taken off air, along with banning pro-government newspapers that regularly stoke tension with crude articles targeting political dissidents.
President Aleksandar Vučić’s Serbian Progressive party condemned the protest, calling the opposition groups participating in the rally “faceless evil … that dares to use a national tragedy for their own interest”, according to local media.
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Following the shootings, Vučić vowed to “disarm” Serbia with an ambitious plan that would crack down on legal and illicit firearms.
Serbia has the highest level of gun ownership in Europe, with 39 civilian firearms for every 100 people, according to the Small Arms Survey research group.