‘Ready for Violence’: Pro-Government Hooligans Target Serbian Protesters as Activist Is Abducted

When Voja was seized from a Belgrade street on April 29, beaten and shoved into a waiting car, the young activist feared for his life. After hours of abuse he was released, bruised and bloodied. "I feared for my life. I had no idea what they were planning to do with me," Voja, who asked to be identified only by his first name, told AFP.

Background: From Tragedy to Nationwide Protests

Student-led demonstrations have swept Serbia for more than a year. What began as demands for a full and transparent investigation into the November 2024 collapse of a railway station canopy — a disaster that killed 16 people — has broadened into calls for early elections and a direct challenge to President Aleksandar Vučić.

‘Ready for Violence’: Masked Groups Target Opponents

As largely peaceful rallies grew, groups of young men often dressed in black and wearing masks have increasingly targeted anti-government gatherings. Protesters have accused police of shielding some of these groups during demonstrations, while Council of Europe observers reported the "threatening" presence of large groups of men, several masked, outside polling stations during local elections earlier this year.

"The essence of it is that you have an organised group of people ready for violence, for street violence, and you want them on your side," said Predrag Petrovic, research director at the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy.

A Close Relationship Alleged Between Hooligans and the Ruling Party

Experts and media reports say links run deep between so-called hooligan groups and the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). Petrovic points to a fenced, police-guarded pro-government camp near parliament — reportedly housing individuals with criminal records — as evidence of a close connection between those groups and the authorities. "Hooligan leaders wanted to be seen there in order to send a message about which side was the right one," he said.

Critics allege that police have often turned a blind eye to assaults on protesters and journalists near the camp. Last summer, President Vučić pardoned four men linked to the SNS who had been accused of beating students and breaking a woman’s jaw in Novi Sad. Vučić has also publicly visited the camp, called its residents "defenders of Serbia," and once described himself as "partly a football hooligan," comments Petrovic called "very serious" and "utterly inappropriate."

The Abduction of Voja

Voja says that after handing out stickers in the Belgrade suburb of Resnik during campaign activity, a van bearing the SNS campaign slogan blocked his path. Around five or six men jumped out and confronted him and two friends. When one friend used pepper spray, the assailants chased Voja into a supermarket, dragged him out, beat him and forced him into the car while repeatedly claiming to be police officers.

He says they drove him to an empty field, interrogated him and released him only after his friends published the alleged attackers' names on social media. The alleged attackers reportedly did not hide their faces; the van they emerged from was painted with the ruling party's campaign slogan. The incident has been reported to police and prosecutors, but Voja expressed doubts about whether meaningful action will follow.

Impact: Fear and Distrust

With a badly bruised and swollen face, Voja now leaves home fearful and struggles with sleep, saying he has frequent nightmares. Many protesters and journalists report growing distrust in law enforcement, increased fear of reprisals, and concern about the escalation of politically motivated street violence as the country heads toward possible early elections.

AFP sought comment from the Interior Ministry and the Serbian Progressive Party; both did not respond to requests.

Reporting and quotes sourced from AFP and independent experts. Allegations remain subject to investigation; some details are reported as claimed by victims and observers.