During Saturday night’s protest in Belgrade, Jovan Pavlovic, organizer and camera assistant for N1 television, was struck by a police officer with a baton while lying on the ground wearing a yellow press vest and verbally identifying himself as a journalist.
The incident occurred on Kneza Milosa Street after protesters moved aside to let an ambulance pass, while police refused to do the same and began pushing the crowd back toward the Kralja Milana intersection.
“In that chaos, I was pushed from behind, tripped, and fell to the ground. The police cordon began moving past me, but one officer, either the third or fourth in line, took three or four steps back after already passing me and struck me twice in the left shoulder with a baton, even as I was on the ground identifying myself as a journalist,” Pavlović told N1.
A medical report from the University Clinical Centre of Serbia confirmed a contusion to Pavlovic’s left shoulder. Doctors noted severe pain in his shoulder and upper arm and recommended rest, immobilisation, and pain management therapy.
N1 has called on the Ministry of Interior for an immediate explanation and demands that authorities identify the officer involved and clarify why force was used against a clearly marked media team member who posed no threat.
Source: N1
