11 months after police brutality: 'Valjevo Remembers' protest held

Citizens gathered in Valjevo, Serbia, for a protest named "Valjevo Remembers," exactly 11 months after an incident of alleged police brutality during a previous demonstration. Organizers assert that despite the passage of time, no individuals have been held accountable for the police actions that occurred on August 13 of the previous year.

The protest began in front of the Valjevo Gymnasium, with participants then marching to the local Police Directorate building. Upon arrival, they were met by police officers in riot gear, who were positioned around the building.

Student Teodora Petrović addressed the crowd, delivering a strong message against the normalization of police misconduct. "Dear citizens of Valjevo, dear friends, when injustice happens to our comrades, it concerns us all. Police brutality must not become something we accept as normal," Petrović stated. "That is why today, as in the past 11 months, we have not remained silent. Valjevo remembers. It remembers every blow, every injustice, and everyone who stood by their city. That is why today we send a message to all of Serbia: 'All of Serbia to Valjevo!' We will see each other soon."

The article recalls that last year, masked assailants damaged a cafe whose owner had supported students. The following day, a large protest occurred, marked by what organizers describe as unprecedented police brutality, despite initial denials by then-Minister Ivica Dačić. Video evidence reportedly contradicted the minister's claims, and victims have shared their experiences in a documentary titled "Precedan."

In late May of this year, the Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office took over the case of the brutal police violence. This decision was made by the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office after determining that the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Valjevo had been inefficient in handling the proceedings.

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Dear citizens of Valjevo, dear friends, when injustice happens to our comrades, it concerns us all. Police brutality must not become something we accept as normal. That is why today, as in the past 11 months, we have not remained silent. Valjevo remembers. It remembers every blow, every injustice, and everyone who stood by their city. That is why today we send a message to all of Serbia: 'All of Serbia to Valjevo!' We will see each other soon.