UFUS Condemns Attack on Stevan Filipović: Every Artist Has the Right to Feel Safe on the Street

The Association of Film Artists of Serbia (UFUS) has sent a message of solidarity and support to its member, director Stevan Filipović, following a physical assault against him in Belgrade.

"Every artist, just like every citizen, has the right to feel safe on the street, and a society that respects itself must clearly demonstrate that zero tolerance for violence is the only standard," UFUS stated in its announcement. The association believes that a responsible society is measured by its ability to ensure a minimum level of safety for every individual and to provide a stable framework for dialogue where force has no place.

UFUS called on the relevant institutions to conduct a thorough and professional investigation into the incident, utilizing all legal procedures to shed light on the event. Professor Stevan Filipović of the Faculty of Dramatic Arts was reportedly beaten in central Belgrade. He stated in an Instagram video that the attackers were "mercenaries of the ruling party" whom he had photographed while they were demolishing a protected building. According to his account, they knocked him to the ground, kicked and hit him with a metal chair, causing him to lose consciousness. He sustained a leg injury, a hip hematoma, and a concussion, and doctors advised him to remain immobile for 14 days.