Protests in Serbia: Sound weapons against demonstrators in sight!

Protests in Serbia: Sound weapons against demonstrators in sight!

Belgrad, Serbien - in Serbia it is bubbling: With massive protests on March 15, 2025 in Belgrade, where more than 100,000 people took to the streets against corruption and other grievances, the use of sound weapons is reported by the police. Participants in the demonstrations report that they were affected by extremely loud noises that were generated by police weapons. These claims are underpinned by various videos on social media. Nevertheless, the Serbian Ministry of the Interior decidedly rejects the allegations, as kosmo.at.

Sound weapons, also known as Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRAD), are non-fatal weapons that can generate extremely loud noises to sound or drive out people. With volumes of up to 150 decibels, they exceed the pain limit of human hearing, which is around 120 decibels. This intensity can not only cause pain and permanent hearing damage such as tinnitus, but also cause psychological damage. Historically speaking, such devices have already been used in military warfare and in pirate defense on cargo ships, such as Spiegel.de explained.

The entire protests in Serbia are an echo on a tragic incident that had occurred in November 2024 when a station presentation collapsed in Novi Sad and cost 15 people. The controversy reports on the use of sound weapons throw dark shadows on the government's measures and intensify the already heated mood among the demonstrators. The Situation remains tense because the government categorically rejects the allegations.