Chaos at Gazimestan: Kosovo Police Arrest Serbs on Vidovdan!
Every year, Vidovdan is the day when Serbs worldwide honor their heroes, with Gazimestan being the epicenter of this commemoration. But instead of peace and prayer, this year at Gazimestan, a real drama unfolded! Kosovo police, just before the start of the memorial service, arrested Stefan Veljković, vice president of the Serbian Democracy party, for wearing a T-shirt with the image of party leader Aleksandar Arsenijević, who is under investigation due to weapons found in the village of Valač near Zvečan. Arsenijević claims the weapons were planted, but that didn’t stop Kosovo police from making arrests.
And that’s not all! After the memorial, Kosovo police detained about 15 Serbs for singing “nationalistic” songs, including a 12-year-old girl who shouted “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia.” After being identified, she was released, but the question remains — where is the line between freedom of expression and repression?
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti warned days before Vidovdan that Serbia might use destructive elements to provoke incidents at Gazimestan, accusing Serbian groups from Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina of provocations. Kurti emphasized that wearing Serbian and Russian nationalist symbols contradicts Kosovo’s constitution and European values. For Kurti, commemorating Vidovdan with Serbian symbols is already a provocation and a threat.
On the other side, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić called on young people to go to Kosovo and Metohija and not give Kurti a chance to arrest them, stressing that Serbia is ready to keep peace but does not accept ultimatums from foreign powers. Vučić highlighted that Vidovdan is the day when the strength of the Serbian state is seen and called for unity and defense of the homeland.
This year, Kosovo police increased controls at Gazimestan, identifying and detaining Serbs who came to pay respects to their ancestors. It’s not the first time Serbs face arrests and pressure for wearing Serbian national symbols on Vidovdan in Kosovo. Is this really a security measure or targeted intimidation of the Serbian people?
While memorial services are held and candles are lit for Kosovo heroes at Gazimestan, on the other side, a real battle is being fought — a battle for the right to identity, freedom of expression, and peaceful life. All under the watchful eye of Kosovo police and ongoing political tensions.
If you think this is just another news story, think again. How do you feel about children and political representatives being arrested at a place that should symbolize peace and remembrance? Is this the start of a new phase of conflict or just another episode in the long Kosovo saga? Drop a comment, let’s see who’s for peace and who’s for chaos!
Slug: kosovska-policija-hapsi-srbe-na-vidovdan-parastos-ili-provokacija
