More than 100,000 illegally owned weapons, including handguns and mines, have been handed over in Serbia. The government called for this after two rampages. The protests against violence and President Vucic continue.
After two rampages in May that killed 18 people in total, people in Serbia handed in a total of 108,833 illegally owned weapons. This was explained by a police spokeswoman in Belgrade, according to the Serbian news agency Tanjug. The government had called for the surrender of the weapons.
The deadline for the penalty-free tax expired at midnight on Friday, after it had already been extended once. According to the police, around 82,400 handguns, around 26,500 mines and other explosive devices, and 4.2 million pieces of ammunition were handed over.
Demonstrators in Belgrade hold a banner reading “Students Against Violence”. Tens of thousands also protested against violence and the government on Saturday.
New protests against violence and government
Since the two gun attacks in May, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Belgrade and other cities – including yesterday. Left-wing and liberal opposition parties and civil movements had called for the rallies.
In Belgrade, demonstrators flocked to the headquarters of the private broadcaster Pink TV. They accused the government-controlled tabloid broadcaster of inciting hatred and violence. Citizens’ anger is also directed at President Aleksandar Vucic and the government. They are accused of not having prevented this violent climate.
The two killing sprees had deeply shaken Serbian society. On May 3, a 13-year-old student shot dead nine classmates and a security guard at his school in central Belgrade. A day later, a young man killed eight people with guns in a village near Belgrade. The two rampages were not related.