A police intervention to seize a disputed bus ended in violence last night, leaving 16-year-old Milan Jaćimović injured, according to sources from local community groups.
Milan, the son of bus operator Milomir Jaćimović, is reportedly recovering after sustaining injuries while trying to protect his mother and another young woman during the altercation. The incident took place near the Banovina building in Novi Sad, where the family has been protesting the confiscation of their vehicle.
The elder Jaćimović, who is now in his ninth day of a hunger strike, claims that police demolished the bus while forcibly towing it away. “They didn’t know how, or didn’t want to do it properly. They destroyed it. You can see it in the videos,” Jaćimović told N1.
He further criticized the authorities’ indifference:
“Imagine how many days we’ve been here, and no one has spoken to us. There’s a mayor, supposedly everything works – so why hasn’t he come to talk? I have no words.”
While expressing concern for his son, Milomir emphasized that a 16-year-old should never be forced into a hunger strike, stating:
“This is my fight. He is a child.”
The family and their supporters argue that this case is another example of state overreach and lack of accountability, raising questions about how local authorities manage conflicts with citizens and small business owners.
Footage from the scene reportedly shows the vehicle being violently dragged away. The bus, which is described as central to the family’s livelihood, was previously returned to them but once again seized under contentious circumstances.
The incident sheds light on broader issues of police conduct, political responsibility, and access to justice in Serbia, especially for ordinary families who feel neglected by the state.
