Anti-Milosevic Protest Turns Violent --- Riot Police Break Up March In Downtown Belgrade; Action Could Backfire

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia -- President Slobodan Milosevic sent hundreds of riot policemen against demonstrators in downtown Belgrade last night for the first time since protests against his 12-year rule broke out at the end of NATO's bombing campaign in June. Backed by four water-cannon trucks and s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Wall Street journal. Eastern edition
Main Author By Robert Block and James M. Dorsey
Format Newspaper Article
LanguageEnglish
Published New York, N.Y Dow Jones & Company Inc 30.09.1999
EditionEastern edition
Subjects
Demonstrations & protests
Milosevic, Slobodan
Police
Political dissent
Riot control
Violence
Belgrade Yugoslavia
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Summary:BELGRADE, Yugoslavia -- President Slobodan Milosevic sent hundreds of riot policemen against demonstrators in downtown Belgrade last night for the first time since protests against his 12-year rule broke out at the end of NATO's bombing campaign in June. Backed by four water-cannon trucks and several armored personnel carriers, the police charged into a throng of at least 10,000 demonstrators, swinging batons and sticks to disperse the protesters, who were marching towards Mr. Milosevic's private residence. At least 22 people were injured, including five journalists. Wracked by bitter infighting, opposition leaders in Serbia, the main republic in the Yugoslav federation, had so far appeared unable to galvanize public dissatisfaction with Mr. Milosevic over lost wars and soaring prices into a force capable of toppling his regime. Until last night, the protests here had been relatively small events attracting tens of thousands of people who would march through the streets of the capital blowing whistles and chanting for Mr. Milosevic's ouster.
ISSN:0099-9660