The eight protest of the Serbia Against Violence (SPN) coalition against election irregularities was held on Monday evening in Belgrade. Pročitaj više

Several thousand people assembled outside the Republic Election Commission (RIK) offices and, following speeches by opposition representatives, they marched to the main Belgrade police station to inquire about the people detained at the Sunday protest. According to the police, 38 people, some of whom students, were detained during and after the Sunday protest.

The protesters were joined by students, who staged a protest of their own earlier in the day, demanding the opening of the voter register for inspection.

The people told N1 reporters that electoral fraud is why they took to the streets.

“If this is allowed, we no longer have a choice. Then they should reinstate the single-party system, so we no longer pretend, this is not parliamentary democracy,” they said.

Opposition representatives once again said they want a peaceful protest, just like they did on Sunday, and that the “violence had been provoked by infiltrated elements and by the police who were inside the City Assembly building and refused to let the members of the temporary body (governing the capital of Belgrade) inside to address the people.”

Zeljko Veselinovic, one of the seven opposition representatives who have gone on a hunger strike, told the crowd that they draw strength from the people, and especially from the students gathered at the protest.

“I call on all the people who care for and want a normal Serbia to be brave and persevere, because we will win,” said Veselinovic.

He explained that Serbia Against Violence MP Marinika Tepic, who has been on a hunger strike since last Monday, is too weak to stand for long and address the people. She briefly appeared at a window of the building housing RIK and waved to the crowd.

Outside the main police station in Belgrade one of the Serbia Against Violence leaders, Miroslav Aleksic, told N1 that they asked the assistant police chief for information about the people arrested at the Sunday protest.

“Most of the parents don’t know where their children are detained. We could not get any information, we were told we can email them tomorrow and get a reply and that the parents can phone and inquire about their children,” Aleksic told N1, adding that the Serbia Against Violence coalition has offered legal assistance to the parents of the detained children.

The Belgrade deputy police chief refused to answer N1 reporter’s question about the whereabouts of the detained students.

A new protest rally has been scheduled for 6 pm Tuesday, outside the Republic Election Commission (RIK).