(29 Sep 1999) Natural Sound
More than 60 people were injured when riot police, backed up by water cannons and armoured vehicles, broke up a rally by tens of thousands of angry protesters who tried to march towards Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's residence late on Wednesday.
Of the injured, at least four were reported in serious condition, according to the opposition Democratic party.
An emotional crowd of more than 30-thousand people had taken to Belgrade's downtown boulevards, waving their fists and shouting "Slobo, you betrayed Kosovo".
The demonstrators were joined by opposition leader Zoran Djindjic.
The protest took place against the backdrop of the ruined government buildings and the army headquarters destroyed during NATO's bombing campaign against Yugoslavia.
As the protesters reached the police cordon, three water cannons drew up behind the line of officers, apparently in an attempt to intimidate the rally.
The demonstrators were threatening to march some three kilometres (about two miles) into Milosevic's lush neighbourhood of Dedinje, also known as the "forbidden hill".
After a few minutes, police swept into the crowd from the side and beat back the group.
Using water cannons and armoured vehicles with flashing blue lights, the police trapped the protesters, causing a panicked stampede as they tried to flee in all directions.
Dozens of people were seen lying on the ground, including a woman carrying a child who fell as a policeman struck at her while trying to flee.
Two boys and two girls in their teens or early twenties, all covered in blood, were taken away from the scene by ambulance, the independent student-run Index Radio said.
The Democratic Party, which helped organise the protests, said the incident was a display of "extraordinary police brutality", with the riot police targetting particularly women in the crowd and beating them on the head.
Several foreign and domestic reporters - including an APTN cameraman - were beaten and had their cameras destroyed.
Police sources also said that three officers were injured in the clash.
Following the incident, thousands of demonstrators ran back to the main square in downtown Belgrade, where the protest continued with opposition leaders addressing the crowd from a stage.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
