Commemoration for Brice Taton

Belgraders are paying tribute to French football fan Brice Taton today by laying wreaths and lighting candles in Republic Square. Members of the public have been congregating in large numbers since 11.30 CET, and a column of people stretches back to Kolarcevo Street. Commemoration for Brice Taton A day of mourning has been declared in the capital after the 27-year-old died yesterday of wounds suffered in an assault by hooligans 12 days ago in the city centre. An anti-violence meeting has been scheduled in front of the Philosophy Faculty on Thursday, at 17:00 CET. There is mood of anger and disappointment among Belgraders following the sad events, though they stress that this is not the true picture of Serbia and that violence has to be stopped. Many ministers and party officials were among those who came to pay tribute today, including Sports Minister Samardzic Markovic, Diaspora Minister Srdjan Sreckovic, Justice State Secretary Slobodan Homen and Bishop Atanasije. Also present are Social Democratic Party leader Zarko Korac, Christian Democratic Party leader Vladan Batic, League of Vojvodina Social Democrat leader Nenad Canak, Democratic Party MP Nada Kolundzija, Deputy Mayor of Belgrade Radmila Hrustanovic, as well as a number of NGO officials. Meanwhile, G17 Plus members are collecting signatures for a petition calling for the day of Taton’s funeral to be declared a national day of mourning. There will also be a rally against violence on Thursday at 17:00 CET in front of the Philosophy Faculty, “which will clear state that Serbia and society do not want the country to be as it was in the 1990s,” Human Rights Ministry State Secretary Marko Karadzic said. Brice Taton (B92, archive) Protest against violence The Youth Coalition, made up of young members of political parties such as the Democratic Party and the Liberal Democratic Party, as well as several non-governmental organizations, is organizing a rally on Thursday. The coalition has called on members of the public who want to put a stop to violence and extremism to join them. The rally will begin in front of the Philosophy Faculty at 17:00 CET. "We want to show that the real face of young people in Serbia is the face of those who are ready to tackle the reality that surrounds them and promote tolerance and non-violence,“ read a statement from the coalition. The coalition called for the speedy arrest, investigation, effective trial and maximum sentence for the perpetrators of all crimes that endanger the right to life, bodily integrity, human freedoms and equality. It also enjoined the police and prosecution to treat seriously threats to members of the public and the sanctions that such threats carry, in order to deter future potential perpetrators. Members of the ultra-right wing 1389 organization have also said that they will be attending the rally, stating that, though they do not share the views of the groups organizing the rally, they believe that Serbian citizens should rise against violence. Earlier in the month, the public prosecutor filed a motion calling for a ban on the work of 1389 and similar ultra-nationalist organizations. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said that the police were still considering the application to hold this rally for security reasons. “This will be looked into again after what’s happened. We don’t want to prevent the expression of political and value-related opinions on the street; we just want to avert breaches of public order and peace and the potential consequences for human lives and the property of citizens of Belgrade or of any other city,“ said Dacic. “The civil sector will continue, maybe now more than ever before, to exert pressure on the judiciary and state to effectively sanction the perpetrators of violent acts,“ said Miljenko Dereta from the Civil Initiative told B92.

Commemoration for Brice Taton

A day of mourning has been declared in the capital after the 27-year-old died yesterday of wounds suffered in an assault by hooligans 12 days ago in the city centre.

An anti-violence meeting has been scheduled in front of the Philosophy Faculty on Thursday, at 17:00 CET.

There is mood of anger and disappointment among Belgraders following the sad events, though they stress that this is not the true picture of Serbia and that violence has to be stopped.

Many ministers and party officials were among those who came to pay tribute today, including Sports Minister Samardžić Marković, Diaspora Minister Srđan Srećković, Justice State Secretary Slobodan Homen and Bishop Atanasije.

Also present are Social Democratic Party leader Žarko Korać, Christian Democratic Party leader Vladan Batić, League of Vojvodina Social Democrat leader Nenad Čanak, Democratic Party MP Nada Kolundžija, Deputy Mayor of Belgrade Radmila Hrustanović, as well as a number of NGO officials.

Meanwhile, G17 Plus members are collecting signatures for a petition calling for the day of Taton’s funeral to be declared a national day of mourning.

There will also be a rally against violence on Thursday at 17:00 CET in front of the Philosophy Faculty, “which will clear state that Serbia and society do not want the country to be as it was in the 1990s,” Human Rights Ministry State Secretary Marko Karadžić said.

Protest against violence

The Youth Coalition, made up of young members of political parties such as the Democratic Party and the Liberal Democratic Party, as well as several non-governmental organizations, is organizing a rally on Thursday. The coalition has called on members of the public who want to put a stop to violence and extremism to join them.

The rally will begin in front of the Philosophy Faculty at 17:00 CET.

"We want to show that the real face of young people in Serbia is the face of those who are ready to tackle the reality that surrounds them and promote tolerance and non-violence,“ read a statement from the coalition.

The coalition called for the speedy arrest, investigation, effective trial and maximum sentence for the perpetrators of all crimes that endanger the right to life, bodily integrity, human freedoms and equality.

It also enjoined the police and prosecution to treat seriously threats to members of the public and the sanctions that such threats carry, in order to deter future potential perpetrators.

Members of the ultra-right wing 1389 organization have also said that they will be attending the rally, stating that, though they do not share the views of the groups organizing the rally, they believe that Serbian citizens should rise against violence.

Earlier in the month, the public prosecutor filed a motion calling for a ban on the work of 1389 and similar ultra-nationalist organizations.

Interior Minister Ivica Dačić said that the police were still considering the application to hold this rally for security reasons.

“This will be looked into again after what’s happened. We don’t want to prevent the expression of political and value-related opinions on the street; we just want to avert breaches of public order and peace and the potential consequences for human lives and the property of citizens of Belgrade or of any other city,“ said Dačić.

“The civil sector will continue, maybe now more than ever before, to exert pressure on the judiciary and state to effectively sanction the perpetrators of violent acts,“ said Miljenko Dereta from the Civil Initiative told B92.