Suspect Arrested Seven Days After Attack on Serbian Director Stevan Filipović

Serbian police have arrested a 21-year-old suspect, identified as L.D., in connection with the attack on film director and Faculty of Dramatic Arts professor Stevan Filipović. The arrest occurred seven days after the incident, during which Filipović's phone was stolen and he sustained injuries, including a concussion. The apprehension came shortly after CINS published surveillance footage that captured the details of the assault. The suspect reportedly admitted to participating in the event as accused. However, given that the suspect provided a statement, did not deny involvement, has no prior convictions, and has a registered residence, the prosecution decided against pre-trial detention, allowing him to remain free during the ongoing proceedings. Police are still searching for two other individuals believed to have been involved in physically assaulting Filipović. Filipović and his lawyer, Vladimir Tupanjac, expressed concern over the delay in arrests, questioning what might have happened if the surveillance footage had not surfaced. Filipović suggested that the footage might have originated from the police or prosecution, thanking whoever anonymously shared it, implying internal efforts to resolve the case. He noted that authorities possessed the same footage on the day of the attack and questioned the delay in apprehending the suspects. The incident occurred after Filipović photographed individuals vandalizing a protected building. He described the attack as more extreme than he recalled and noted that his stolen phone was later located at a police station before changing locations and ending up in Kosovo. Filipović speculates about connections between the attackers and organized crime in Kosovo and central Serbia, pointing to the attackers gathering near the Stari Grad municipality building as indicative of a link to the regime. He also mentioned the attackers were seen affixing ruling SNS party slogans and stickers. Tupanjac commented that such attacks reflect a climate of impunity for those who oppose the SNS, suggesting that anyone not aligned with the party could become a victim.