Protesters storm pro-government TV studio in Belgrade
About 20 demonstrators broke into the Informer studio on Monday evening, interrupting a live broadcast and demanding an apology from its editor-in-chief, Heute reported.
About 20 protesters forced their way into the Belgrade studio of pro-government broadcaster Informer on Monday evening, interrupting a live broadcast, Austrian outlet Heute reported. The channel's editor-in-chief, Dragan Vučićević, tried to call the police as the group confronted him, according to the report. Sky News also reported that protesters had stormed the Belgrade TV centre.
The demonstrators demanded a public apology from Vučićević, accusing him of branding opposition supporters and protesting students as "Ustascha", a term historically used for Croatian fascists, Heute reported. Among those confronting him was Dijana Hrka, whose son died in 2024 when a canopy collapsed at a railway station in Novi Sad; she accused the broadcaster of using the same slur against her son on air, according to the report.
Smaller gatherings were also held outside the studios of state broadcaster RTS and the pro-government channel Pink that evening, though Heute said no serious incidents had been reported there in its initial account. Police eventually intervened at the Informer studio, Heute reported.
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What we know
- 2+ outlets · Heute, Sky News About 20 protesters entered Informer's Belgrade studio on Monday evening, interrupting a live broadcast, Heute reported.
- 1 outlet · Heute Demonstrators demanded an apology from editor-in-chief Dragan Vučićević over accusations he branded opposition supporters and students "Ustascha".
- 1 outlet · Heute Dijana Hrka, whose son died in the 2024 Novi Sad station canopy collapse, was among the protesters, according to Heute.
- 2+ outlets · Heute, Sky News Police intervened to end the confrontation; Sky News separately reported the storming of the Belgrade TV centre.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed Vučićević reportedly said in videos circulating on social media that his "Ustascha" remark was not directed at the protesters who stormed the studio, Heute reported; this has not been independently confirmed.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
The storming follows the election defeat of former president Aleksandar Vučić, who had repeatedly said Serbia was being undermined by "foreign factors", and comes more than a year after the Novi Sad canopy collapse that killed Dijana Hrka's son. Accusations that pro-government broadcasters have smeared protesters and victims' families have been a recurring flashpoint in Serbia's political crisis.
Sources
Reported by 2 reports from 2 independent outlets in 2 countries.
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- What happened at the Informer TV studio in Belgrade?
- About 20 protesters stormed the studio on Monday evening, interrupting a live broadcast and confronting the channel's editor-in-chief, Heute reported.
- Why were the protesters angry at Dragan Vučićević?
- They accused him of calling opposition supporters, protesting students and a dead teenager "Ustascha", a term for Croatian fascists, and demanded a public apology.
- Who is Dijana Hrka?
- A protester whose son died in the 2024 collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad; she confronted Vučićević over his coverage, according to Heute.
This article was written with AI assistance from 2 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.