Serbian government accused of using ‘sonic weapon’ against protesters

The Serbian government has been accused of using a sonic weapon against anti-government demonstrators during a protest in Belgrade, Serbia.

At around 7 p.m. local time on Saturday, during a 15-minute silent vigil, a crowd of protesters suddenly heard an ear-piercing sound. Videos showed the crowd splitting, screaming, and running from the street’s center.

Opposition groups, nongovernmental organizations, and local outlets quickly blamed the incident on a sonic cannon, such as a long-range acoustic device. The device emits high-frequency sound waves as a way of non-lethally incapacitating people, causing pain, disorientation, nausea, and possible hearing damage.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic vehemently denied using the device, calling it a “wicked lie” aimed at “destroying Serbia.” He announced he would invite investigators from Russia’s Federal Security Service and America’s FBI to investigate the claims.

Opposition groups and analysts disagreed on what device was used. Earshot, a not-for-profit organization that investigates audio for human rights advocacy, said it received 12 videos of the incident — of these, four contained a sound consistent with a vortex ring gun or vortex cannon.

“As this weapon pushes gas out of its cylinder at speeds of 185mph, its expulsion produces a howling noise which has been compared to a jet engine, along with vortex rings that may be ionized. This would create electromagnetic interference with devices such as hearing aids, corroborating reports made by witnesses at the protest,” it said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Ivica Dačić responded, saying Serbia doesn’t own a vortex ring gun, vortex cannon, or similar weapon of Russian design.

“These are all shameful lies that harm both the state of Serbia and its police, which did their utmost to preserve peace and security at this gathering. I repeat once again, the Serbian police have never used illegal means in their history, not even on March 15,” he said.

Vucic said on Saturday that an odd-looking device seen by protesters was likely a misidentified anti-drone rifle or similar electronic weapon.

Politika, Serbia’s newspaper of record, argued that the incident was simply the result of crowd hysteria.

The incident occurred during the largest protest in Serbia in decades. The number of protesters who gathered in Belgrade on Saturday ranged from 100,000 to 300,000 in a country with a population of 6.6 million.

The student-led protests have been calling for Vucic’s resignation over the Nov. 1, 2024, collapse of a concrete canopy at the Novi Sad train station, which killed 15 people. Critics of the government quickly blamed corruption, alleging they cut corners and installed poor construction quality. University students have begun boycotting classes and leading daily demonstrations. The number 15 holds central importance to the demonstrators, with the 15th of each month drawing the largest protests.

Vucic has accused the protesters of being part of a pro-Western plot to oust him.

Though Vucic is broadly considered conservative and populist, the protests have drawn a diverse group of critics. The protesters have both liberal and nationalistic elements.

SERBIAN PARLIAMENT DEVOLVES INTO CHAOS AFTER OPPOSITION MPS THROW SMOKE AND STUN GRENADES

The disorder has also spread to parliament. Earlier this month, opposition lawmakers interrupted proceedings with whistles and horns, lit flares, and threw stun and smoke grenades colored black, white, and pink. Some lawmakers unfurled flags, and two held a banner denouncing the Vucic government. Three lawmakers were injured in the chaos, including a pro-Vucic lawmaker who suffered a stroke.

Sonic weapons and similar devices are mainly used for crowd control and anti-piracy operations. The device has been deployed by a variety of countries, including the United States, which used it during the 2020 George Floyd riots.