VIDEO: Organizers say aerial footage reveals the true size of Croatia’s protest

“They say we were ‘several’ thousand. But we were all of Croatia,” the civic initiative Gospić je naš dom said after releasing aerial footage of its Zagreb protest.

The images show a mass of people filling Ban Josip Jelačić Square and surrounding streets. In a second message, the organizers thanked Zagreb and Croatia and declared: “If they ask how many of us there were, we all were!”

The protest, titled “Walk for Lika, Walk for Croatia,” took place on Saturday, September 5. The march began at King Tomislav Square and ended at Ban Josip Jelačić Square, where the main program was held. Citizens from numerous parts of Croatia attended, along with representatives of civic initiatives and environmental groups.

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They say we were ‘several’ thousand. But we were all of Croatia. We were, just so you know, how many.

The gathering focused on an affair involving tens of thousands of tonnes of hazardous waste allegedly dumped illegally in the Gospić area. Organizers demanded that the government urgently remediate the site, establish who transported and dumped the waste, and hold accountable institutions that they say knew about the problem. One central demand called for a concrete remediation plan within 20 days. Protesters also demanded the removal of about 33,000 tonnes of buried hazardous waste within three months.

The protest grew beyond a local Gospić issue. Organizers and representatives of other initiatives also warned about so-called “black spots” across Croatia. Public figures supported the initiative, and several media outlets later reported that tens of thousands of people took part, although organizers had avoided giving attendance estimates before the event.

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If they ask how many of us there were, we all were!