BELGRADE: Thousands of people took to the streets of the Serbian capital Belgrade on Saturday to protest against the restart of a controversial lithium mine that is expected to serve as a vital energy source for Europe’s green energy transition.
Before the rally, two leading figures in the protest said they were briefly detained by security officials and warned that any move to block roads during the protest would be considered illegal.
Thousands of people chanted “Rio Tinto get out of Serbia” and “You won’t kick” as they gathered in central Belgrade before marching through the city.
Home Office figures later estimated the size of the crowd at 24,000 to 27,000 people. Protesters later entered Belgrade Central Station, where protesters blocked the tracks and halted traffic. “Organizers and leaders were warned by the police both before and during the protest that their actions were not in accordance with the law,” Interior Minister Ivica Dačič said in a statement, adding that charges would be brought against “all perpetrators.”
