Anti-government Protests Sweep Serbia Amidst Mass Shootings and Political Tensions

Tens of thousands of Serbians have joined an anti-government protest in Belgrade for the sixth time since May 3, blaming a culture of violence for the deaths of 18 people in two mass shootings and calling on the interior minister to resign. Protesters are demanding the resignation of Serbia’s interior minister, Bratislav Gasic, and secret service chief Aleksandar Vulin, who they blame for failing to bring criminal groups to justice. The demonstrators also called for the withdrawal of national broadcast licences for television channels Pink TV and Happy TV and a ban on some tabloids who they blame for promoting violence.