Shocking police violence: sound cannon against refugees in Serbia!

Shocking police violence: sound cannon against refugees in Serbia!

In a worrying revelation, it was revealed that Serbian police had already used a sound cannon, used as an aggressive weapon against student protesters in Belgrade, against refugees in Sombor in November 2023. This information was brought to light through an investigation by Balkan Insight Research Networks (BIRN). At the time of the sound cannon's deployment, the Serbian-Hungarian border was sealed under pressure from the EU to prevent the merger of refugees, leading to a massive deportation of hundreds of people to the south of Serbia, the reports indicate. OTS.at reported that there was great horror when the refugees tried to flee from an abandoned house into the fields in panic due to the sound effects.

On November 7, 2023, at 1 p.m., 35 refugees - including women and children - in Sombor experienced fleeing a painful, loud noise made by a police officer with a device resembling a weapon. This LRAD 450 XL sonic cannon now appears to be the new brutal reality for those fleeing conflict. A worrying warning came from Petar Rosandić, chairman of SOS Balkanroute, who noted: “It is a textbook example of how police violence, which first only affects the stranded, becomes internal and later affects the whole society.” This incident casts a worrying shadow over European refugee policy, which continues to treat people unequally based on their origins.

Inconsistent refugee policy in Europe

In addition to the brutal treatment of refugees in Serbia, there is a clear discrepancy in asylum policy in Europe. While refugees from Ukraine are welcomed with open arms, the experience remains different for many individuals from Africa and other crisis regions. Reports of racism and discrimination at the borders, particularly at the Polish-Ukrainian border, highlight the ongoing challenges for many refugees Weidemann blogs confirmed. This disparity is shocking, as many fleeing similar dangers hoped to be treated in solidarity, but are often confronted with prejudice. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has insisted that no distinction should be made in the treatment of refugees based on skin color or nationality, highlighting the horrific injustices that continue to exist.