Attack by policeman on 02.06.2017 in the centre of Belgrade

— Read Serbian version below —

A violent attack by a policeman on refugees happened in the park Luke Ćelovića, also known as Afghan Park or Ekonomski park, on June, 2nd.

Before the violation the atmosphere was quite relaxed and calm, around 80 people were hanging out in the park. Shortly before 4 pm a local woman took a seat next to the people. As they reported the woman asked them for money and frightened them with calling the Serbian Mafia on them. As they tried to explain to her that they don’t have money, the woman accused them loudly of being refugees and “destroying the country”. Suddenly she calmed down and started joking with the young men. Confused with her behaviour, they tried to ignore her as much as possible.

At 16.21 pm a policeman came because the woman had called the police. The policeman yelled at the group of people accused by her and suddenly punched one young man with his fist in the face and chest. The policeman also tried to kick him, but as the beating was so strong the young man felt backwards from the bench and could get himself out of the situation. Within a few seconds the policeman was surrounded and confronted by the people affected, which stopped him to attack further. He was yelling aggressively to the crowd, took his name away from his uniform (!) and walked away. Two locals in solidarity were arguing full-throated with him and manged to stop him again in the middle of the park. The statement of the policeman was: “I told the boy he should get up, but he didn’t show any respect. For sure he understood me. / I am here to protect Serbia not foreigners. / I can do whatever I want to. Who are you to hold me back of it? / The refugees do have bombs and are selling drugs so they are a bad example for our children. / If you want to see the bombs you can come and have a look at the Police station. / If somebody here will die because of them, it will be your fault.“

Meanwhile another policeman, was asked for help but he left without any response, as well as the rest of the people in the park, who acted as nothing had happened. After a few minutes of the tumult the policeman walked away and left an agitated crowd back. About 90 minutes later, he came back and tried to explain his despotic behaviour to the same locals in a “friendly” way: It was his duty and his reaction was justifiable because many refugees were thieves and because of them many gays and prostitutes were more attracted to the park, but still he understands “their situation”.

Such visible aggressive violation of the police does not only leave physical injuries as their goal is to intimidate and increase the repression. As it´s usual, this policeman got away without any consequence, the only one who would get them would be the person affected if he denounces him.

This is not the first time it happens! Zero tolerance with police and state despotism!

This is being published in a context of high repression against people on the move in Serbia. This park has always been a meeting point but after the eviction of the barracks, for a few days, it was deserted and slowly we gather again. About hard conditions and abuses on refugees and migrants in Serbia, read the recent statement of one person from the camp in Obrenovac
https://noborderserbia.wordpress.com/2017/06/03/if-these-laws-stay-in-power-maybe-tomorrow-you-will-be-in-my-positionako-ovi-zakoni-ostaju-na-snazi-mozda-ce-oni-i-vas-uskoro-ugroziti/

We encourage everyone to step in when racist and other forms of violent behavior is happening.
An injury to one is an injury to all!

Nakon izbacianja ljudi iz skvotova, sve više i više represije:
Napad policajca 2.6.2017. u centru Beograda

Nasilan napad policajca na izbeglice se desio drugog juna u parku Luke Ćelovića, takođe poznatom kao Afganistanski Park ili Ekonomski park.

Pre nasilja, atmosfera u parku je bila poprilično opuštena i mirna, oko 80 ljudi je bilo u parku. Malo pre 16 časova, lokalna žena je sela pored ljudi. Kako nam je rečeno žena je tražila pare od njih i zastrašivala ih je govoreći da će im zvati Srpsku Mafiju. Kad su pokušali da objasne da nemaju pare, žena ih je glasno optužila da su izbeglice i da “uništavaju zemlju”. Iznenada se smirila i krenula da se šali sa njima. Zbunjeni njenim ponašanjem, pokušali su da je ignorišu što su više mogli.

U 16:21 policajac je došao zato što je žena zvala policiju. Krenuo je da viče na grupu ljudi koju je ona optužila i odjednom udario jednog mladića svojom pesnicom u lice i grudi. Policajac je takođe pokušao da ga šutne, ali je od jačine njegovih udaraca pao sa klupe i nije mogao da se izvuče iz situacije. Za par sekundi policajac je bio okružen od strane oštećenih ljudi, koji su zaustavili dalje napade. Vikao je agresivno na te ljude, sklonio svoje ime sa uniforme (!) i otišao. Dvoje lokalaca u solidarnosti su se raspravljali glasno sa njim i uspeli da ga zaustave opet u sred parka. Izjava policajca je bila: “Rekao sam dečku da bi trebao da ustane, ali nije pokazao poštovanje. Sigurno me je razumeo./ Ja sam ovde da zaštitim Srbiju ne tuđince./ Mogu da radim šta god hoću. Ko ste vi da me sprečavate./ Izbeglice imaju bombe i prodaju droge tako da su loš primer našoj deci./ Ako želite da vidite bombe možete doći i pogledati u policijskog stanici./ Ako neko ovde umre zbog njih, to će biti vaša krivica.”

U međuvremenu još jedan policajac je bio pozvan da pomogne ali on je otišao bez odgovora, kao i ostatak ljudi u parku, koji su se ponašali ko da se ništa nije desilo. Nakon nekoliko minuta policajac je odšetao i ostavio uznemirenu grupu ljudi. Posle oko 90 minuta, vratio se i pokušao da objasni svoje despotsko ponašanje tim istim lokalcima na “prijateljski” način: To je bila njegova dužnost i njegova reakcija je bila opravdana jer su puno izbeglica lopovi i zato što su veliki broj njih gejevi i prostitutke su više privučene da dolaze u park, ali on i dalje razume “njihovu situaciju”.

Tako vidljivo agresivan postupak policije ne ostavlja samo fizičke povrede jer im je cilj da zastraše i povećaju represiju. Kao i obično policajcu je to prošlo bez ikakvih posledica, jedina osoba koja bi ih imala bi bila ona koja je bila napadnuta ukoliko policajac odluči da je optuži.

Ovo nije prvi put da se ovo desilo! Bez tolerancije za policiju i državni despotizam!

Ovo se izdaje u kontekstu visoke represije nad ljudima koji se kreću kroz Srbiju. Ovaj park je uvek bio tačka sastanaka ali nakon izbacavanja iz baraka, nekoliko dana je bio napušten ali polako se opet skupljamo. O teškim uslovima i zločinima nad izbeglicama i migrantima u Srbiji, pročitajte nedavnu izjavu jedne osobe iz kampa u Obrenovcu https://noborderserbia.wordpress.com/2017/06/03/if-these-laws-stay-in-power-maybe-tomorrow-you-will-be-in-my-positionako-ovi-zakoni-ostaju-na-snazi-mozda-ce-oni-i-vas-uskoro-ugroziti/

Mi pozivamo sve da se umešaju kad god primete rasistička i druga nasilna ponašanja.
Povreda jednog je povreda svih!