In a shocking act of aggression, Veton Zeqiri, a player for the Kosovo football club KF Tërnoci, was violently attacked by Serbian police during a match. The incident occurred in the middle of the game and has sparked outrage among both the local community and the broader football world.
According to a statement from KF Tërnoci, the situation escalated after the home team, Mlladosti, along with the referees, appeared to intentionally undermine KF Tërnoci’s performance. The club expressed that there was a concerted effort to harm the team’s chances, which culminated in two unjust red cards for Tërnoci players. This left the score at 2:1 in favor of Mlladosti, setting the stage for the violence that would follow.
However, it wasn’t just the referees’ decisions that caused the outrage. As the match continued, Serbian police officers entered the field with aggression. One officer, in an act of unwarranted violence, struck Veton Zeqiri while others verbally attacked the team members. This shocking act of police brutality was not confined to the field; the officers then proceeded to raid the team’s locker room, rifling through the players’ personal belongings under the pretext of searching for weapons.
In an official statement, KF Tërnoci described the police’s actions as barbaric, highlighting the aggressive nature of the raid. “The police barged into our locker room as if they were in an action movie, searching through everything under the false pretense of looking for cold weapons. After failing to find anything, the drama continued with the team being taken to a local police station for questioning,” the club’s statement reads.
What followed was a deeply distressing experience for the players, particularly for Zeqiri, who was assaulted. The police insisted that the team’s captain give a statement, while refusing to accept any testimony from the injured player. After the ordeal, the players were released, but the statement regarding the police brutality was delayed, with plans to formally report the incident at the police station in Bujanovac.
This incident is not just a case of football violence but a reflection of the ongoing tensions and hostility faced by ethnic Albanians in Kosovo and the broader region. Serbian authorities have once again displayed a blatant disregard for the safety and rights of Kosovo’s citizens, even in a sporting context. This is not an isolated event; it is part of a broader pattern of intimidation and aggression.
The actions of the Serbian police serve to deepen divisions and further escalate the climate of fear and violence that many in Kosovo have experienced for years. It is a reminder that Kosovo’s sovereignty and the well-being of its people continue to be under threat, not just through political and military means, but even in the realm of sports.
This attack on a young football player is a stark example of how Serbia’s authoritarian tactics have extended into every aspect of life, including the sports arena. It is essential that this incident is condemned internationally, and that justice is sought for Veton Zeqiri and all those who were subjected to this unwarranted violence. The world must not remain silent in the face of such aggression.
Kosovo, and the international community at large, must demand an end to such police brutality and the ongoing oppression of ethnic Albanians, not only in Kosovo but also within Serbia itself. This incident should serve as a catalyst for more robust action to hold those responsible for such actions accountable and ensure the protection of human rights across the region.
