A peaceful one-day photo exhibition documenting months of civic protests against the Serbian government was violently attacked by individuals identified as members of the ruling party.
Witnesses reported that instead of protecting the event organizers, police shielded the attackers. When citizens from nearby Novi Sad attempted to travel to Bački Petrovac to express solidarity following the assault, police blocked their entry into the city.
Human rights observers have condemned the incident as a direct assault on freedom of expression and the rule of law, accusing President Aleksandar Vučić’s administration of complicity in suppressing dissent.
Democracy advocates are calling on European leaders to take a strong stance in support of those defending democratic values from Belgrade to Brussels.
