Clashes between police and protesters in Montenegro following the priests' arrest

14 Maj 2020, 14:07ENGLISH TEMA

Source: Samir Kajosevic (BIRN) (clik here)

Violent protests hit several Montenegrin towns on Wednesday night following the arrest of a Serbian Orthodox bishop and several priests for conducting an illegal street procession in defiance of government regulations.

Violent protests rocked several towns in Montenegro on Wednesday night after police arrested a Serbian Orthodox Church bishop and several priests for leading a religious procession in defiance of the government ban on public gatherings because of the coronavirus.

Police battled protesters in Pljevlja and Niksic with tear gas, leaving dozens of police officers and protesters injured. Protests also took place in Budva, Berane and the capital, Podgorica.

The protesters demanded the release of Bishop Joanikije of Niksic and seven other priests accused of conducting the illegal procession in the town. While some media accused the police of using excessive force on protesters, the police directorate claimed that some of the protesters had thrown stones, wounding 22 policemen.

The Rector of the Cetinje school of theology, Gojko Perovic, accused the authorities of using excessive force. “We call on them to stop their violent behaviour towards peaceful and non-violent protests. It is clear that the injustice has exceeded every measure,” Perovic said in a press release.

Police arrested the bishop and clergy on May 12 and placed them in custody for 72 hours for violating the ban on public gatherings after they and leading Serbian Orthodox cleric in Montenegro, Metropolitan Amfilohije, led a procession in Niksic to celebrate St Vasilije’s Day, accompanied by thousands of believers.

Police arrests journalist in Niksic:

On Wednesday, police arrested a correspondent for a Serbian newspaper, Velisa Kadic, while he was covering the protests in Niksic.

The Vecernje Novosticorrespondent said he was arrested while taking photos of police beating one of the protesters.

“I told them that I was a journalist, but they used pepper spray and deleted all the photos from my phone,” Kadic told the Montenegrin media.

Large gatherings remain banned in Montenegro as part of efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus, however, and religious processions may only take place within places of worship. No more than 20 people may gather in front of the said church or place or worship. The detained priests face charges of violating health regulations by organising the procession.

Earlier on Wednesday, supporters of the Serbian Orthodox Church blocked a road in northern Montenegro in another protest, but police broke the blockade with tear gas, arresting some of the protesters.

Most opposition parties condemned the police action, while civic activists warned that rising tensions could lead to more serious rioting.

“With an election campaign close and a social crisis, these tensions could create a very risky atmosphere. One angry head can lead to riots,” Boris Raonic, from the Civic Alliance, told the daily newspaper Vijesti.

The Montenegrin authorities have a history of rocky relations with the Serbian Orthodox Church, the largest faith group in the country, but which historically opposed the country’s separation from Serbia.

Earlier this year, the Church organised weeks of street protests against a religious law that it said could strip it of its property. Montenegrin officials repeatedly denied the claims.

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