Offensive Graffiti on Belgrade Chemistry Faculty Building Prompts Vandalism Probe

The entrance to Belgrade's Faculty of Chemistry has become a canvas for offensive graffiti, prompting legal action for vandalism. Prosecutors have ordered proceedings against those responsible for the defacement, which appeared overnight between April 26 and 27. Security camera footage is being handed over to the police, although the dean, Goran Roglić, noted that the perpetrators were masked and acted in the early morning hours, making identification difficult. The faculty has incurred significant costs for cleaning the pillars, amounting to 550,000 dinars, and has stated they will not undertake further cleaning until after the upcoming elections, fearing the messages might reappear. Professor Ljubodrag Vujisić highlighted the historical significance of the building, noting that before housing the Faculty of Chemistry, it served as Glavnjača, a city prison for political inmates. He suggested that this historical context might be overlooked by those responsible for the graffiti, describing the messages as primitive and ambiguous. While acknowledging that the academic community can understand youthful rebellion, Vujisić found the content of the graffiti unclear and not directly linked to the current political situation. He pointed out the presence of explicitly racist messages, including 'Death to Serbia,' questioning the perpetrators' intentions. The dean also suggested that the nature of the graffiti points to a specific milieu, distinct from open public discourse.

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This building, before it became the Faculty of Chemistry building and before that PMF, was a city prison, colloquially known as Glavnjača, where political prisoners were held. So, perhaps that is another context that has been missed here.