The Gendarmerie That Guarded Ćacilend for Months Retreated From Belgrade Under a Hail of Stones

A few hours after Vučić conceded defeat, the Gendarmerie left central Belgrade. Not in formation, not with dignity, but to whistles, shouting and blows on its vehicles. The units that for almost two years had guarded roads from demonstrators and a park from citizens spent this night looking for a way out of their own city.

The Gendarmerie's buses and vehicles set off from in front of the Old Palace, by Pionirski Park. Some citizens tried to talk to the officers, others hit the first bus. The situation escalated: stones flew, and the windows of at least one vehicle were smashed. Footage circulating on social media shows someone striking a Gendarmerie vehicle with a long stick, officers shielding themselves with riot shields, and fireworks going off in the background. Because of the crowd, the convoy struggled to make its way towards the "Albanija" building.

The police, according to reports, did not respond to the attacks. Some of those present tried to calm the crowd. That is the detail worth remembering: the stones were thrown by individuals, and other citizens called for calm, just as loudly.

Ćacilend, the park citizens were not allowed into

To understand the anger, you need to know what Ćacilend is. It is a tent camp of Vučić supporters in Pionirski Park, which for around 18 months was under their control and under police protection. Ordinary citizens could not freely enter. During those two years of protests the police used batons and tear gas, detained people and cleared road blockades. The Interior Ministry always replied that the police were simply maintaining public order, and denied any unlawful conduct.

On election day, Gendarmerie buses and armoured vehicles arrived in central Belgrade, including riot-control units. Most officers were stationed around the park, the Presidency and the Republic Electoral Commission. Students urged citizens to avoid those places and stay calm.

Then Vučić conceded, and the men in black who had gathered in Ćacilend started leaving the park. Soon after, the Gendarmerie pulled out too. Citizens walked in, carried things out of the tents and took down the signs of the Serbian Progressive Party. Before long the park was on fire, and two cars burned among the tents.

Thousands celebrated in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš and other cities. In several places the celebrations turned into attacks on police vehicles. The new government has not even been formed yet, and it already inherits the hardest question: what kind of police will Serbia have after the night the Gendarmerie fled from its own citizens - and who will answer for the batons and tear gas of the previous two years?