Protest continues, supporters rally for Djilas

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The noise protests continued on Monday night with people in a number of Serbian cities and towns banging on pots and pans, blowing whistles and playing loud music to express their dissatisfaction with the authorities and the measures imposed under the state of emergency.

People across the country have been making noise at 8:05 pm for the ninth evening right after the applause for doctors and nurses working to save coronavirus patients. Supporters of the authorities have been organizing so-called torch parties by climbing onto the roofs of high-rise buildings, lighting torches and using sound systems to blast offensive slogans against opposition leaders. President Aleksandar Vucic has denied that his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) is behind what some people are calling counter-protests but some of his party officials have given contradictory statements which can be interpreted as confirming that the SNS was behind them.  

The Beta news agency said that the largest number of videos posted on social networks are from the Serbian capital and the southern city of Nis. The videos showed people banging on pots, metal fences, blowing whistles and throwing firecrackers.  

A group of about 100 people, including opposition leaders, gathered across the street from the St Sava temple in a show of support for Party of Freedom and Justice leader Dragan Djilas following his emotional video on Sunday night. Djilas recorded the video after a group of men, alleged to be closely connected to the SNS, climbed onto a roof near the home of his ex-wife and two children and blasted offensive slogans using a strong sound system.  

Djilas refused to make a political statement saying only that he is grateful to the people who rallied in a show of support for his family. “I want to call everyone to do everything we can to protect all children regardless of who their parents are. That is so normal and logical that we should all make an effort to ensure it,” he said.