Berlin academics harassed, intimidated near Belgrade Parliament

What began as an academic trip for students and a professor from Berlin's Humboldt University devolved into a frightening encounter in central Belgrade. The group was harassed and intimidated by unidentified men near Pioneers’ Park, directly across from the Serbian Parliament.

The incident unfolded as the students paused to photograph the Parliament building. The park adjacent to the Parliament is reportedly hosting a camp for supporters of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. According to one student, a man emerged from the park and aggressively demanded they leave, claiming the area was off-limits.

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I took out my phone to take a photo, and a man came out of the park, told us access was forbidden, and shoved us.

"I took out my phone to take a photo, and a man came out of the park, told us access was forbidden, and shoved us," the student recounted to N1. The man then insisted she delete her photos, "He grabbed at my phone, repeating ‘Delete, delete.’ He even forced me to delete blurry, unsuccessful shots."

Professor Henning Fuller also experienced the aggression. "It was deeply unsettling. He approached me and demanded my camera, even though I hadn’t even taken any photos. He grabbed my arm, behaving as if he had a legal right to do so," Fuller said. The aggressor, speaking limited English, threatened the group with police intervention while filming the students' faces without their permission.

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He grabbed at my phone, repeating ‘Delete, delete.’ He even forced me to delete blurry, unsuccessful shots.

Despite seeing police officers nearby, the group felt too intimidated to report the incident. "The man acted like the police were his friends. We weren’t sure it if was safe to turn to the police for help, to ask them to protect us from that man, because he was ordering us around, he behaved as if he knew all the police officers there, we couldn’t rely on them," a student explained.

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It was deeply unsettling. He approached me and demanded my camera, even though I hadn’t even taken any photos. He grabbed my arm, behaving as if he had a legal right to do so.

The camp in Pioneers’ Park, known locally as “Caciland,” has gained a reputation for similar incidents, often involving unofficial guards or loyalist groups who harass journalists and perceived outsiders. This encounter, however, was particularly jarring for the visiting academics, who were in Belgrade for their Master's theses.

The experience left a lasting negative impression. Professor Fuller indicated he would advise friends against visiting Belgrade's landmarks due to safety concerns. "Beyond being terrifying, it was humiliating," the student added. "If we were just tourists, we might have left Serbia that same day and never come back, because it’s just not safe."

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The man acted like the police were his friends. We weren’t sure it if was safe to turn to the police for help, to ask them to protect us from that man, because he was ordering us around, he behaved as if he knew all the police officers there, we couldn’t rely on them.