Students in Serbia distanced themselves from extremist organizations, who appeared in a protest in front of the Constitutional Court in Belgrade, late last week.
At the protest organized by students on January 12, symbols of several far-right organizations were observed, as well as numerous flags with the map of Kosovo and the message "No surrender."
Analyzing footage and photographs, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty determined that the flags at the protest were held by members of the youth branch of the right-wing parliamentary opposition party, the New Democratic Party of Serbia (Novi DSS).
A representative of the far-right "Club 451" was also spotted at the protest.
Published footage shows that those carrying flags with the inscription "No surrender", as well as a banner with the inscription "451", initially gathered in front of the Belgrade Faculty of Law and then, with a column of students, headed towards the Constitutional Court.
At the student protest held in front of the Constitutional Court in Belgrade, a banner reading "Youth, Freedom, Homeland" was also seen, signed by the far-right association "Club 451".
In the front rows of gathered students, Radio Free Europe identified Zelko Gërbiqi, a member of this ultra-right movement.
His Facebook profile states that he is a student at the Faculty of Law in Belgrade.
Gërbić did not answer Radio Free Europe's question about whether "Club 451" organized the attendance of its members at the protest rally.
On January 13, “Club 451” posted a video of the protest on its social media accounts. The video showed the controversial banners, but not the faces of those holding them.
The video was accompanied by the message: "The future is the youth and the youth is the future. Therefore, it is the duty of every nationalist to become part of the future of their people."
The "Club 451" association was registered on August 9, 2021, and its legal representative is Marko Gajinović.
Its statute, among other things, states that its goal is to preserve Serbian and European culture and tradition, as well as to promote them.
The group is active on the Telegram network, where its channel counts 1,625 members.
From his 1,400 posts, it can be concluded that he opposes the independence of Kosovo, supports the secession of Republika Srpska from the rest of Bosnia and Herzegovina, opposes the integration of refugees, and publishes hate messages against members of the LGBT community.
From the posts dated January 10 on Telegram, it can be seen that the group has also formed additional branches: "Youth 451 Belgrade" and "Youth 451 Banja Luka".
"Club 451" is linked to the far-right groups "Zentropa Serbia" and "Serbian National Front".
He also works closely with several neo-Nazi militant organizations from Europe - "Casa Pound" in Italy, "Clermont Non Conforme" in France, "Legio Hungaria" in Hungary.
"Club 451" did not respond to Radio Free Europe's request for comment on this topic.
As can be seen in the published footage, representatives of the youth of the New Democratic Party of Serbia also participated in the student protest in front of the Constitutional Court in Belgrade.
In the available videos, REL identified Vuk Marinović, the head of the Novi DSS youth, Uroš Tomašević, a member of the Novi DSS youth executive board, and Nikola Illić, who, according to data on social networks, is also a member of the Novi DSS youth and a student at the Faculty of Political Science in Belgrade.
In protest, they held flags with the map of Kosovo and the inscription "No surrender".
The head of the Novi DSS youth wing, Vuk Marinović, tells Radio Free Europe that members and activists from the New Democratic Party of Serbia are coming out en masse to the protests.
"Some of our young students carried those flags, guided by the idea that there is nothing more natural than to appear before the Constitutional Court with the slogans 'Kosovo is Serbia' and 'There is no surrender', because that is how the Constitution defines it, which we are committed to respecting, while the regime shamelessly violates it," says Marinović.
Students blocking faculties in Serbia announced on January 13 that they "distance themselves from extremist organizations and their symbols," and in no way from the national, religious, and constitutionally guaranteed symbols of the Serbian people.
In a post on the X network, they said that after the "controversy" caused by their previous statement of distancing themselves from extremist organizations, at a protest in front of the Constitutional Court in Belgrade, "they feel obliged to clarify that statement."
The students blocking the faculties said earlier that they "clearly and unequivocally distance themselves from the extremist organizations and nationalist symbols that appeared during the protests" on January 12.
"The presence of their flags and banners on the front lines of protests is not consistent with our values and goals," the statement said.
It also emphasizes that the blockades have no ideological agenda and that the students do not support any form of separatism or polarization in society.
The Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Belgrade also made a special announcement on social media.
He said he condemns "the efforts of Nazi organizations to infiltrate student protests."
"The tradition of fighting Nazism is something that characterizes the Serbian people and, in accordance with this, Nazi sympathizers have no place in student protests," the statement said.
Students participating in the faculty blockade previously distanced themselves from the actions of all political parties and organizations.
From the beginning of the blockades, they insisted that only the national flags of Serbia and the emblems of the faculties be flown.
In Serbia, more than 60 faculties at four state universities, several rectors' offices, and dozens of high schools have been blocked for weeks.
Students on the blockade are demanding the publication of full documentation for the reconstruction of the Novi Sad Railway Station, whose shelter collapsed at the end of last year, causing the deaths of 15 people.
Among their demands are the dropping of charges against those arrested and detained during the protests, as well as the prosecution of those responsible for the tragedy in Novi Sad and of those who beat students and professors during the protests.
Government representatives say that all requirements have been met and call on students to open their faculties.
Academics, on the other hand, say that the demands have been partially met and that the suspension of work in faculties will continue until the demands are fully met./REL (A2 Televizion)
A2 CNN Livestream
MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
