Asger Risom
Controversy escalates over alleged deployment of military-grade acoustic device during mass demonstrations
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Across the world, civil protests continue to test the limits of state response and public tolerance.
In Serbia, recent demonstrations have reignited debate over the use of advanced crowd control tools and the legal boundaries of force during peaceful assembly. Now, international attention is turning toward Belgrade — and the United Nations is being called upon to step in.
Petition accuses Serbian police of using acoustic weapon
On Tuesday, a petition signed by nearly 600,000 people was submitted to the UN office in Belgrade, urging an independent investigation into the alleged use of a sonic weapon by Serbian police during a protest on March 15.
As reported by HotNews.ro, demonstrators had gathered in central Belgrade to protest corruption and honor the victims of a deadly train station collapse in Novi Sad.
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During a moment of silence, witnesses described hearing a sudden, disorienting noise — likened to a crashing airplane or speeding vehicle — which triggered panic and chaos.
Opposition leaders and the activist group KreniPromeni accused authorities of deploying a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), a controversial military-grade tool often used for crowd dispersal.
Although Serbian officials initially denied possessing such equipment, later-released images showed a police vehicle mounted with a device resembling the LRAD-450. The Minister of the Interior later confirmed its existence, but insisted it had not been used.
Calls for international investigation and accountability
The petition, led by KreniPromeni, demands an independent UN-led inquiry into the incident and its potential health impacts.
The group also called for legal accountability for any officials involved in authorizing or deploying the device.
The controversy intensified after former Deputy Prime Minister Čedomir Jovanović, unaware he was on live television, seemed to confirm the use of a sonic weapon.
“It wasn’t meant to injure, just to scare,” he said, comparing the noise to a thunderclap or a fast-approaching truck.
The protests began in response to a structural collapse that killed at least 15 people in Novi Sad.
Since then, public outrage has grown over what many see as systemic corruption and impunity. President Aleksandar Vučić, whose government is backed by Moscow, has accused foreign forces of trying to destabilize the country.
He responded Tuesday by announcing a large-scale pro-government rally this weekend and introducing a new political movement called “For the People and the State.” Protesters, however, say the only path to stability is through accountability.
