Vukašin Đinović, a highly accomplished student at the Faculty of Science and Mathematics in Novi Sad, was violently attacked by Serbian police during a protest in support of hunger-striking truck driver Milomir Jaćimović. According to Đinović, a member of the Gendarmerie struck him in the head with a shield without warning, causing his nose to bleed for 20 minutes.
Jaćimović, who has been on a hunger strike for eight days, had returned a bus he used to transport students to protests and parked it in front of the Banovina complex. The police, acting with blatant disregard for citizens’ rights, forcibly removed the bus, claiming it was “illegally parked,” and used excessive violence against peaceful demonstrators.
Đinović, a decorated student with a history of national and international achievements in mathematics and physics, described the police action as “pure psychopathy.” He reported witnessing police officers assaulting female students and using brutal force unnecessarily. The attack, he said, reflected a wider pattern of growing repression by the regime, which has escalated as the authorities sense their grip on power weakening.
Speaking on the escalating violence, Đinović emphasized that the police have increasingly abandoned even pretense of restraint. From June 28 onwards, riot police have repeatedly charged demonstrators, with violent interventions during the summer, including targeting citizens with cannon shots and fireworks. He described the regime’s tactics as the behavior of a government in panic, attempting to maintain control through fear and brutality.
Despite the violence, Đinović and other students vowed to continue their activism. “The regime believes it can intimidate us, but every empire collapses when it relies on oppression. We will continue to fight, participate in protests, and prepare for elections. They cannot scare us,” he said.
He also noted that the presence of President Aleksandar Vučić in Novi Sad would provoke strong public backlash, calling it a humiliating act for victims and citizens alike. The continued escalation of repression, according to Đinović, is a sign of the regime’s desperation, exposing the authoritarian nature of Vučić’s government.
