Nine arrested over riots at Novi Sad protest

NOVI SAD - Nine people have been arrested over riots during Tuesday's protest in Novi Sad.

The arrests were made at the request of the Higher and the Basic Public Prosecutor's Offices in Novi Sad.

In a joint statement, the prosecutor's offices said six arrestees were suspected of the criminal offence of violent behaviour at a sports event or a public gathering and that the remaining three were suspected of the criminal offence of destruction of and damage to property, the criminal offence of attacking officials performing official duty and the criminal offence of causing general danger, respectively.

The statement also said authorities were looking for a person suspected of the crime of injury to the reputation of the Republic of Serbia and that intensive efforts were underway to identify other people suspected of committing the crimes of attacking officials performing official duty and destruction of and damage to property.

The statement said the spilling of faeces from a cistern outside the Novi Sad City Hall, where a large group of people had gathered, constituted the crime of causing general danger due to a potential spread of contagion.

Violence broke out during the protest, property was destroyed and the City Hall building, the protective barrier of a nearby construction site, the official entrance to the offices of the local misdemeanour court and Serbian Progressive Party offices on Bulevar oslobodjenja were damaged by several people, the statement said.

On Bulevar oslobodjenja, the flag of the Republic of Serbia also was torn and protesters attacked several police officers, it also said.