Anarcho-syndicalists arrested over ‘terrorist’ attack in Belgrade
Solidarity Federation, the British section of the International Workers Association (IWA) held a demonstration outside the Serbian Embassy in London on 11th September in support of five anarchist comrades arrested in Belgrade on false terrorism charges. Other groups who also attended the protest to demand the immediate release of the five included members of FAU (the German section of the IWA), Anarchist Federation and the libertarian students’ group Autonomy & Solidarity.
The anarchists, Tadej Kurep, Ivan Vulovi´c, Sanja Dojki´c, Ratibor Trivunac and Nikola Mitrovic, who are associated with Anarcho-Syndicalist Initiative (ASI), the Serbian section of the IWA, were arrested on 5th September in relation to an action against the Greek Embassy in Belgrade on 25th August in support of Greek anarchist hunger striker, Thodoros Iliopoulos, who was imprisoned during the uprising in Greece last December.
No-one was hurt in the incident when two Molotov cocktails were thrown at the exterior of the embassy in the early hours causing minimal damage including a broken window and fire damage to the façade of the building, along with graffiti of an anarchist symbol. The five are being held in custody under severe conditions until the prosecutor can secure formal charges of acts ‘international terrorism’ against them which could lead to a potential prison sentence of up to fifteen years if they are convicted. A sixth person sought by police, Ivan Savic, is thought to be still on the run.
The five arrested deny all connection to the incident or involvement in the previously unknown group Black Elijah (Crni Ilija) who contacted the media already claiming responsibility for the attack. ASI has distanced itself from the actions on the Greek Embassy. In a statement issued after the arrests the group asserted: “We use this opportunity to remind the public once again that these methods of individual political struggle are not methods of anarcho-syndicalism, quite the contrary – we proclaim our political positions publicly and through our work we seek to bring masses to the syndicalist movement.”
Ratibor Trivunac, who is currently delegated to the duty of IWA-AIT General Secretary, has spoken out against the arrests as an attempt by the Serbian authorities to repress and criminalise the growing anarchist movement in the country. The Serbian president Boris Tadic personally apologised to the Greek ambassador assuring him “the Serbian state would do everything in its capacity to identify and punish those responsible for the attack accordingly”. Greece is one of the key financial partners in the Serbian economy, with direct investment of 2.5 billion Euros per annum.
A European-wide solidarity campaign has already been set up demanding the release of the six and raising the much needed funds to pay for the ongoing legal costs. Other solidarity protests were held across Germany and Greece as well as in Warsaw, Melbourne, Sydney, Denver, The Hague and Vienna. Anarchists in the UK are encouraged to support our comrades in their struggle, including solidarity protests and a letter campaign to the Serbian government.
Solidarity campaign website for updated information: Free the Belgrade 6.
