Tributes to victims of Novi Sad accident marred by incidents

NOVI SAD/BELGRADE - At the invitation of opposition parties and some civic initiatives, groups of people gathered in Belgrade, Novi Sad and other Serbian cities on Friday to block the streets for 15 minutes in tributes to the victims of the Novi Sad railway station accident, but this resulted in several incidents involving people disgruntled with traffic halts.

In downtown Belgrade, the Bridge Stays initiative staged a rally outside the building of the national public broadcaster RTS, demanding that it stop broadcasting for 15 minutes.

The blockade of traffic on Takovska Street prompted some disgruntled citizens to chant "Djilas, you're a thief", which resulted in tensions on the verge of fistfights.

Outside the Faculty of Drama Arts building in New Belgrade, a fistfight broke out between some motorists and participants of a gathering.

Besides opposition parties, the call for a symbolic 15-minute tribute to the 15 victims of the accident at 11.52 am was issued by the Proglas initiative, representatives of the academic community and the Independent Union of Serbian Educators.

The Higher Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad said on Thursday 12 people had been arrested and detained over the accident and hearings began on Friday.

The November 1 overhang collapse at the Novi Sad railway station left 15 people dead and two others seriously injured.