Tree of democracy (Serbian plum, actually a spruce) is planted in the Park of friendship to bear fruit when democracy comes to Serbia – reflection on French Revolution’s Liberty tree. 

Modelled on the protests in 1991 and 1992, the actions were organised by different groups of citizens (professionals, neighbours, families) or individually and they had a participatory character.

University Committee for the Defence of Democracy inaugurated at the start of the Student Protest organised open air lectures, debates, the drafting of new laws and initiated International Scientific Meeting with 1800 reasons to replace University President Dragutin Velickovic for which they collected signatures on pink paper to ridicule his support.

The lifting of the media blackout was done by directing the light of the torches on the state owned media buildings. People switch lights off and on in correspondence with the noise, procession or the lights switching in surrounding buildings, creating a dialogue in the neighbourhood. During the walks, government buildings were dark, hoping that switching off the light would not provoke the protesters to boo them. 

Fires, cigarette lighters, torchlights, candles, rockets, bicycle and Christmas lamps were lit on the streets; people waved lanterns, chandeliers and illuminated pictures on their windows. They decorated balconies and facades to converse with the protesters by that use of symbols and signs, but also through explicit textual messages in posters, panels and graffiti. Thousands of candle light were placed in front of the media organisations RTS and Politika ‘so the truth that died in these houses could rest in peace’. 

In short
November 1996
Elections are officially fraudulent.

December 1996
Milosevic invites international review of the election results whilst hundreds of thousands demonstrate on the streets in various cities in Serbia. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe insists that Serbia reinstates the winners of the original elections or it will be isolated.

January 1997
Due to a stiff and unwavering opposition in the streets, Milosevic accepts defeat in the city of Nis, but opposition leaders continue demonstrations until all election results are acknowledged. On January 14, electoral commissions in Belgrade and wider call for further acceptance of elected representatives.

February 1997
On February 4, Milosevic proclaims the restoration of the opposition's victories. Still, demonstrations continue, with protestors demanding election reform and freedom for the media.

Long story (reliant on the timeline in The Street as Political Space by Milena Dragicevic-Sesic, 2001)

17 November 1996 The second round of local elections in Serbia gave the victory to Zajedno (Together) coalition, the opposition to the Serbian Socialist Party (SPS) of President Milosevic, which was in power since 1989, won a majority in Belgrade and on councils in many Serbian cities and towns.

20 Nov. Zajedno in Belgrade and other cities rallies against SSP's efforts to tamper with election results.

21 Nov. Belgraders 'walk for democracy' for the first time.

24 Nov. The Belgrade Municipal Court, as several courts in other cities on SPS directive annul the validity of victory by Zajedno.

25 Nov. Eggs are thrown at the City Hall, the Radio and TV Serbia building, Radio Belgrade, and the state media company, Politika.

27 Nov. The students' protest website appears on the Internet.

28 Nov. The rector of Belgrade University, Dragutin Velickovic, makes a TV statement about protesting students as 'a handful of seduced and manipulated people'.

29 Nov. Students throw toilet paper at the Belgrade Electoral Commission building, shouting: 'We've had enough of your shit!' and request the University rector's resignation.

30 Nov. 200,000 protesters throw eggs, paper bags with red dye, yoghurt, and toilet paper at buildings of official media.

1 December. Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs warns against 'illegal demonstrations'. Students throw condoms at the Supreme Court of Serbia building. Granny Olga, leaves her balcony and greets protesters at the 'walk for democracy'.

2 Dec. The students' walk starts with the slogan, 'Noise is in! Listen to us, Belgrade!'

3 Dec. The authorities cut off transmissions of independent Radio B92, Radio Index (Belgrade), and Radio BOOM 92 (Pozarevac) after jamming their signal for days. At the Serbian Parliament, students perform disinfection and extermination of vermin.

4 Dec. Belgrade students bring bread for goodwill on talks with Milosevic. When the president requests that the meeting should take place in front of the media, they refuse.

5 Dec. Over 150,000 people throw paper planes at the building of RTV Serbia. Students sing the song 'Long Live Our Work' in front of the Federal Parliament and pass bricks from hand to hand, under the slogan 'We are builders, not destroyers'.

6 Dec. The flags of USA and Western European countries are carried by protesters confirming Serbia’s belonging to the civilized world. The giant latex effigy of Milosevic as prisoner appears in the crowd. Independent broadcasting stations transmit at the BBC, Voice of America, Deutsche Welle, and Radio France Internationale. The young man Dejan Bulatovic, who was carrying the effigy, is arrested and beaten by the police.

7 Dec. Old newspapers and outdated news items are thrown at the building of state news agency, Tanjug because it has always reported outdated news. Students plant a 'tree of democracy' in the Park of Friendship, saying that it will bear fruit when democracy comes to Serbia.

10 Dec. Belgrade theatres strike to support the protest and students leave copies of the Serbian Constitution at the Supreme Court of Serbia. Under the pressure from public opinion in Serbia and abroad, transmission of independent broadcasting stations is reinstated.

14 Dec. Students from Novi Sad arrive in Belgrade on foot under the slogan ‘These two feet are not so small, they hold great wisdom for us all.’

15 Dec. 200,000 people are on the streets in Belgrade. Students organize the Light Up Belgrade happening. The official media buildings are arrayed with thousands of torches to remove the media blackout. The song 'Glas' ('Voice', but also 'Vote') is played for the first time.

17 Dec. Having just arrived from Nis on foot, the students ask to talk with Milosevic, bringing him traditional gifts: bread, salt, and a bottle of rakija (Balkan sweet plum vodka) to stress their good intentions. The president receives three students in front of official TV cameras. They continually interrupt his statements to prevent manipulation in the coverage of the event.

18 Dec. Police blocks a student march into Dedinje, where Milosevic and other Serbian leaders live. Students withdraw, leaving the placard with the inscription 'Forbidden City'.

19 Dec. The SPS organizes 'counter-rallies' of Milosevic supporters in several cities. More than 100,000 people celebrate St. Nicholas's Day on the streets of Belgrade. MTV shoots a clip of the song 'Glas'.

24 Dec. On Terazije Square in centre of Belgrade SPS supporters appear on the  'counter-rally', brought by special trains and buses from small towns and villages. They are given cans with meat and panels with SPS slogans and portraits of Milosevic. During his speech people shout: 'We love you!' The president answers: 'I love you too.' On the neighbouring Republic Square the Zajedno coalition holds a regular daily rally. Several clashes occur and 58 people are wounded. Students capture panels with Milosevic portraits as 'war trophies'. Official TV announces that the pro-Milosevic rally gathered about half a million people, a far cry from the number given by foreign news agencies: 40 – 100.000.

25 Dec. Students wash Terazije Square with brushes, brooms, and detergent.

26 Dec. Police stop 'walk for democracy' and allows the students' separate march. Sonja Vukicevic and Slobodan Bestic play their performance Macbeth-It in front of the police cordon. Predrag Starcevic, a Zajedno supporter wounded at the 'counter-rally', dies in hospital.

27 Dec. Felipe Gonzales, head of the special commission of the Organization of Security and Collaboration in Europe (OSCE), announces that the Zajedno won the elections in Belgrade and almost all large cities in Serbia. Police block the 'walk for democracy' and students' walk in Belgrade, but they organize a Prisoners' March on Kneza Mihaila Street, near the police cordon, wearing prison clothes and with hands on their necks.

27 Dec. Streets in the centre of Belgrade are blocked by the police, but the protesters are still allowed to go onto the street when the light is green, so people enter the streets, dancing and shouting: 'Give us back the green!'. They get beaten by police and men with baseball bats.

29 Dec. More than 100.000 people after Zajedno rally, blocked by a police cordon, join the students' Prisoners' March.

31 Dec. About half a million people celebrate New Year's Eve on Republic Square which begins with a performance of an illusionist who shows a trick: 'A Sudden Disappearance of Votes'.

1 January 1997 The slogan 'Belgrade Is the World' appears for the first time on a panel at the head of the students' walk.

2 Jan. The clergy of the Serbian Orthodox Church join the protest and Zajedno encourages people to conduct the 'jamming' of the prime time news on national TV by making noise every day at their broadcasting time - 7.30 p.m.

5 Jan. In Belgrade, people are coming to the centre by car that 'break down', which causes gridlock. People and even children are trying to 'fix' their toy cars – all without success. Police buses and armoured vehicles are blocked in the jam. 100,000 people abandon their 'broken' cars and join the walk.

8 Jan. At another jam in the centre, the people were beaten by police.

9 Jan. Cordon Against Cordon action is organised against the blockade of walks. The students provide policemen with food, warm drinks, entertainment and reading from poetry by Walt Whitman, The Ethics of Aristotle, and the Ethics entry from an encyclopaedia. The next day a 'Miss Protest' contest is held in front of the police.

12 Jan. Four sheep are brought to the protest rally reflecting the police attitude.

13 Jan. Belgraders celebrate the Orthodox New Year's Eve in the capital. The authorities of Yugoslavia have not allowed its welcoming till now.

15 Jan. In an open ballot at the meeting of the Belgrade University Council, professors support the students' protest, but in secret – the rector.

16 Jan. Students wash the rectorate building of Belgrade University to clean the double morality of the Council's members.

18 Jan. Thousands of Belgraders parade before the police cordon disguised in all kinds of uniform in Uniforms Against Uniforms action. Majority are 'Civil Guards', but there is the helmet of an SS-man, a resistance relic from WWII.

19 Jan. Zajedno invites people to parade pets in front of the police as Milosevic does not like walks of people.

20 Jan. The police cordon on Kolarceva Street does not withdraw in the morning.

21 Jan. Students donate blood, 'to allow those who seized power by blood to leave and have the blood again'.

22 Jan. 100 hours of blockade on Kolarceva Street. Students in the Cordon Against Cordon show two panels: 'Blue Cordon Disco' and 'Blue Horizon Tourist Resort'.

24 Jan. Radio B92 announces a contest between Belgrade districts for making the loudest noise at 7.30 p.m.

26 Jan. Police and protesters clash during 'jamming' of TV news on Terazije Square.

27 Jan. On the Day of St. Sava, patron saint of Serbia, after 178 hours of blockade, the police cordon withdraws from Kolarceva Street. 100,000 people walk in a procession led by the Serbian Orthodox Church patriarch, Pavle.

28 Jan. Students from the Traffic School organize Movement in an Inhabited Place performance.

1 Feb. 'Walking licences' appear among Belgrade 'walkers'.

2 Feb. Police block the Branko Bridge on the Sava river to prevent the New Belgraders from joining the rally on Republic Square. Protesters from the right bank gather near the bridge to support people south of the river. When the crowd begins to break up, police attack with tear gas, bars, and icy water.

12 Feb. Zajedno sign the Lex Specialis and encourage people to continue 'walks for democracy' until they begin their work in city councils. Students still request the resignation of rector Velickovic.

14 Feb. A group of students forces its way into the Dedinje district and then joins the students' walks.

15 Feb. The last rally on Republic Square and the last 'walk for democracy' by Zajedno. Students continue to protest.

18 Feb. Students try to collect signatures for the document supporting rector Velickovic and they mark places with chalk where people fell after being beaten by the police in The Reconstruction of the Crime action.

19-28 Feb. Rector Velickovic has not appeared for several days. Students start In Search of the Rector where they look for him for ten days in the Belgrade Zoo, in the Danube river with a fishing-rod, in the astronomical observatory, in markets, in restaurants and pubs and they go to the fortune-teller Branka, who tells them the rector will be dismissed in ten days.

21 Feb. The red star gets removed from the roof of the City Hall.

23 Feb. Students break through the cordon and have a biology lesson in Topciderski Park, in search of rare species: rector impudicus and sloba vulgaris, but they come across policius policius and senta militaris agressiva - Senta was Milosevic’s bodyguard.

24 Feb. The students take chairs and benches from the University onto the Belgrade streets as the rector has promised to resign if students go back to their classes.

27 Feb. Students use garlic and hawthorn sticks to dispel ghosts and demons from the rectorate building.

2 Mar. Students visit transport terminals with the inscription 'I do not want to emigrate when I graduate'.

3 Mar. In 'support' of the new information minister, Radmila Milentijevic, students burn 'filthy newspapers' and pour water on transmission cables of Radio B92 and Index.

5 Mar. Students blow their whistles and shout slogans when breaking into Milentijevic’s party.

9 Mar. Students march to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the anti- Milosevic and anti-war demonstrations in 1991, when police killed two people and wounded dozens of demonstrators.

20 Mar. The senate of Belgrade University confirms Velickovic's dismissal. The  protesters wind flax fabric around rectorate building, with the inscription 'To be continued’ 

On the Day of St. Sava, patron saint of Serbia, the police cordon withdraws from Kolarceva Street after 178 hours. During that time, the protesters played football, volleyball on the rain and chess, read Dostoievski, listened to poetry, did gymnastics or gave policeman the leaflets with the definition of the term ‘stroll’ – designating a slow walk from A to B with at least 40.000 friends producing strange sounds.

On 17th November 1996 municipal elections have been held in Serbia. Despite of the total media control by the ruling party, the citizens of Belgrade and most other major cities chose to be lead by the new leaders. Dissatisfied with those results, the regime of the president Slobodan Milosevic annulled the elections thus causing massive protests of the citizens. A few days after that the students decided to join the protests.
The basic democratic principles respected world-wide have been violated, and we demand their immediate restoration. We, also, demand the resignation of the chancellor and student vice-chancellor who have been ignoring our protest and called us "fascists". Our protest is entirely peaceful. Every day we organize rallies on which the professors, actors, artists, musicians and other public figures address us.

Students Union Belgrade, 1996

Students protest on streets of Belgrade - March November 29, 1996

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (CNN) - Twelve days ago 23-year-old Biology student Srdja Popovic was celebrating his triumph as the youngest elected member of Belgrade city council. On Friday, he was marching down the streets of Yugoslavia's capital with tens of thousands of other demonstrators--mostly students-- with a mission to bring down the government of Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic. The protests, the biggest since 1991, were sparked by Milosevic's move to overturn the results of November 17 elections, which opposition political parties won in Belgrade and 14 other major cities throughout Yugoslavia, the federation now comprising only Serbia and Montenegro.

Carrying banners and shouting slogans: "Red bandits" and "Give us our victory back", students waved their red report cards and were greeted by workers on a downtown construction site as they passed by. At the main city square, students hurled toilet paper at the building, which houses the city's election committee headquarters. In front of the Supreme Court building the rally halted for a moment to throw rotten eggs, then proceeded with the march. The protests that have swept the country are now in their 11th day.

The opposition accused the Socialists of massive poll fraud and the Socialists organized a re-vote, which took place Wednesday in Belgrade and other towns where the Zajedno (Together) opposition coalition won. State media said the Socialists secured a majority in the Belgrade city council. Zoran Djindjic, president of the opposition Democratic Party, said the opposition would walk out of parliaments and local councils unless "forged" election results were overturned.

The crowd Friday was slightly larger than the previous day when an estimated 80,000 took to the streets. But the state muffles their impact. Milosevic has chosen to ignore the demonstrations, and his state media has portrayed the Zajedno as outlaws and provocateurs. "(It doesn't) matter (if) TV shows that we are just a few people on the street, we are just a few for the national TV," said an angry Popovic.

Belgrade's independent radio station B-92 said authorities jammed its news program, while journalists from independent and state-backed newspapers have complained of attempts to censor their coverage of the protests. Despite the presence of riot police, Belgrade authorities have so far refrained from using force to clamp down on dissent. That is unlike the strategy five years ago when the government did not hesitate to overpower short-lived protests against government manipulation of the media.

And while forceful intervention by Milosevic could abruptly end the mass rallies of today, it might also ignite them into violent and bloody confrontation. Parallels of what could happen next are already drawn from the 1989 "Velvet Revolution" in Czechoslovakia, when Prague's communist regime was overthrown -- and the state of near civil war in Romania when anti-Communist forces toppled the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceausecu.

"I hope it will go (the) Czechoslovakia course," said Miodrag Perisic, vice president of the Opposition Democratic Party. "And we do hope that Mr. Milosevic will not provoke the violence on the streets. That is in his hands."

But there is another powerful political force at work--the influence of Milosevic's wife Mira Markovic, who heads her own party. Their opponents claim Markovic is radicalizing Milosevic's ideology and that he is behaving more and more like a communist dictator--an echo, the opposition said, of Ceausecu's wife, Elena.

"Absolutely, there is a parallel," said Djindjic. "You had the Ceausecu dynasty above the law--Milosevic has lost touch with reality. She may be his Achilles heel."

If, as the opposition claims, elements for peaceful revolutionary change are beginning to materialize there, Milosevic is facing the biggest challenge yet to his rule. In the face of such a sustained revolt, can Milosevic expect unquestioned support? "The security police, which have been pampered and well paid by Milosevic, as with Ceausecu's security, will stick with him until the end," said Michael Williams of the International Institute of Strategic Studies.

"But we could see things spiral out of control in the coming weeks," Williams said.

Efforts to mobilize the workers, a crucial missing element for the opposition, may be put to the test with a call for a general strike next week. Many of those on the street said they did not believe Milosevic was about to fall, but felt it was their duty to march.

               Correspondent Brent Sadler and Reuters contributed to this report

E-letters
U toku je skupljanje peticije podrske svima Vama u otadzbini da istrajete u vasim pravednim zahtevima. Srpska Demokratska Omladina u Dijaspori je osnovana sa ciljem da potpomogne Vasu borbu u meri u kojoj je to moguce. Za sada, temelj nase organizacije predstavljaju srpski studenti univerziteta u Torontu (University of Toronto i York University). U ovom trenutku u toku je obezbedjivanje podrske srpskih studentskih organizacija sa jos 5-6 univerziteta u Kanadi. Cilj nam je da u periodu do republickih izbora ucinimo sve da obezbedimo pravo glasa svim punopravnim gradjanima takozvane SRJ u dijaspori. Kao sto i sami znate u pitanju je oko pola miliona opozicionih glasova. S verom u Boga, Puno pozdrava od Nebojse i Dimitrija

protest@europa.elfak.ni.ac.yu

Currently, there is collection of the petition in support of all of you in the homeland in your rightly demands. The Serbian Democratic Youth in Diaspora is established with the aim to help your struggle in whatever possible measure. For now, the basis of our organisation is represented by Serbian students in Toronto (University in Toronto and York University). At this moment, there is security of the support to a Serbian student organisations with 5-6 universities more in Canada, our aim is that in period till the republic election, we do all to assure the right to vote to all full citizens of so called SRJ in diaspora. As you know yourself in question is about half of the million of opposition votes. With the belief in God, Lots of regards from Nebojsa and Dimitrije

protest@europa.elfak.ni.ac.yu

This banner was at the start of the procession and often in company of another one - Zajedno (“Together” coalition). Rastko Sejic claims the authorship of the slogan on the banner as well as the sign “Straight”. However, the drawing has allegedly been done by Zoran Mujbergovic and the sign in the digital form transferred by Bojan Jankovic and Kosta Milanovic.

A day in a diary of a student protester:

1.         Wake up for your street shift and dress up warmly

2.         Bring a whistle and a thermos with hot drink

3.         Meet your fellow citizens at the local spot

4.         Walk on the streets to the city centre, disrupting the traffic

5.         As you walk, shout slogans supporting the protest

6.         Invite passer–bys to join you

7.         Pick up your friends and family

8.         Carry the banners together

9.         Avoid the police cordons or bark until they move away

10.       If they react, run through the alleyways and passages

(they are not from the city, so you’ll loose them easily)

11.       When you get to Republika Square, find a good looking person to stand next to (you’ll end up sharing the food and dancing eventually…)

12.       Salute the speakers – they are risking their lives

13.       At 7.30 when a national TV is broadcasting the News, encourage the noise the citizens will produce by banging pots and pans

14.       Mark every hour by congratulating others for sticking up with the protest

15.       Go home only if absolutely necessary

       

 

Majority of grafitti covered the topic of walking: 

“Miki, come for a walk!”

“Better walk then use trains”

“We do not chose the rose, the rose will choose any means’

“Tonight is our party, tonight Sloba is roasting, let him roast, let him sizzle, who f**** him when he is a communist.”

Honest elections –how lovely that sounds.

These people got bonkers. Finally!

I am watching the News and I started to take drugs too.

Go to mother f****** China!

Blondes got it too!

Red Gang!

Give us the yoghurt!

And now, adio… (a song from a popular tv series)!

Covo, that third point was useless!

Serbia woke up!

Trickster! Give me my vote back communist!

My vote is your salvation too!

Go further!

Get off to Cuba!

And your children?

What NATO? They need a stick!

Threw us Covic!

Slobo, thief!

Slobo, you are Saddam!

We are not giving them anything.

The rain is falling, HE will fall to.

They are gone.

Nice, nicer, graveyard

There is something Serbian in the state of Denmark!

We are not giving away the victory!

Never with Sloba.

Take care, the dog is biting, the owner plays him National Television every day!

The yellow revolution

Anticu, pussy!

Vuff, vuff!

Student ID against the thieves!

Under the peace (Mira – Sloba’s wife), hundreds of devils peek.

You are Tito’s, Cuba is ours.

We are voting, you are stealing. You will not go further! (from a famous national film)

We are asking the clever ones not to give in any more, the circumstances are critical.

Go away, Sloba, go away!

Democracy for USA only!

I am here with my mother in law!

They fell because they stole!

Little parole, BIG PAROLE!

Ours will fall too if they start stealing!

So, Sloba must go!

April in Belgrade (popular song)

The stars are falling (popular song)

I dreamt last night that you are gone (popular song)

Only the walk saves the Serb (spoof of just the unity saves the Serb)

We are making the comrades not to invent new voting circles!

I walk, so I think.

Hold on for a little longer, I almost nailed the girl.

Milanovic, shame on you (Goebbels)

Go back to India! They are not killing cows there.

Long live coax cable!

I am a manipulated, fascist walker.

The honest finder of the truth is asked to return the same to the reception of the National Television. The reward follows!

Serbia is a park from the time of Jula (spoof of Jurassic Park – JUL is Milosevic’s wife party)

They took away my presence, they cancelled my vote!

He will fall, he will fall!

We are not mushrooms, so you keep us in the dark and feed us shit.

Just in Serbia there are 5 calculating actions: adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing and stealing.

You cannot win over your children!

Government – blind, mute, def.

New measurement unit JUS XII 96 – a handful of 20.000 students

“Who is a student from the student root and he does not come to the battle in Plato, let him not move further than 5, to rust till he studies” (spoof of a national epic)

Do not be a black sheep. Come!

So many bogyman and contributions are small!

Students do not have an alternative. Students have turbo-folk!

We do not see where is the problem (socialist party of the blinds)

Walk straight by the Sun. You are a man.

We are the champions!

The bird is popping out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who wants to be born, has to destroy one world.

I am cooling down the situation –fan

Here it goes the handful!

And where is the Patriarch? Right-left? Black-red?

They are strays, not me! I had enough of dogs’ life! (German shepherd)

We have a medicine – Student’s pharmacy

No comment!

Hey boss! Return the victory!

When if not now?

The art of mystery.

The art of hysteria.

In this case, the street educates better!

We are not naïve.

RTS (Radio Television of Serbia) – Representation of the poisoners of Serbia -Ecological state

The children are our biggest wealth.

Revolution is the right thing – it is refreshing and it is not fattening!

We are expecting good export this year too!

My courts are free. They gave victory to my party.

Squirt Tomic. You are in a big need.

On promotion with AIR JUL.

He left the Serbs out of Serbia, so the hope awaken in us too!

Lets burn “Politics”. We are not interested in “The Struggle” (newspapers).

The News has short legs (liar has short legs by the children’s story)

Dana does not have bombs. Dana has eggs.

With the clean conscious, we are going our way (Sociologists)

We need 40.000 babysitters (Students) 

Croatian president has a cancer. Serbian has students.

Socialists, we are offering help! (Psychologists)

Her Tomic, where are the fascists?

Enough of the milking, comrade!

What a f****** flash!

On the mother*****rs with eggs!

We know how to re-educate them (Adult educators)

Regime keeps my hair up.

Marco stole a car again. His f****** father! (Milosevic)

I am not Kafka, but I am feeling the process!

Lilic, where is your basis?

Sloba + Mira = dictatorship

Christopher, when will you discover Serbia?

Council part (court)

Sloba is a red pirate

They are turning us around after all, my dear Galileo!

There were other well-known local and international themes:

“Winter will come, a snowman we’ll make, free like Czechoslovakia, Serbia will break!”

“Those were good times under the Turks!”

“Brothers Montenegreans, do not leave your rubbish in Serbia” (metaphorically addresses Sloba’s origin and the proclamation of Montenegro as the new ecological state)

“The SPS has short legs” (Sloba’s plotical party)

“A student book in the hand is better than a rose in the hair”

“The badger did it again. To court with him!” (from the national tale Badger at Court by Petar Kocic, published in 1904 in Zagreb in his second book Above the mountain and under the mountain).

“Granny Olga for Prime Minister!” (the old lady that greeted the protesters from her balcony)

“Granny, you’re the best” was written on the wall of a building opposite her balcony

“Corax for president!” (local cartoonist)

“You are a better cheat than we are! Bravo, master!”

“On We Go” – electoral slogan of the ruling party accompanied by the drawing of the grave being dug

“I am a living banner!”

“It does not matter what is written here” 

Media works played a great point of reference, especially films:

“Serbia- Yul-assics Park!” (YUL – political party for young Milosevic’s supporters)

“The time has come to kick Sloba”

“Teachers go to heaven hungry” (reference is to the film The Camp of Gypsies go to heaven hungry)

“Hasta la vista communista”

“Protestator III”

“Walter, where are you?” (Valter is the hero of the film “Walter defends Sarajevo” about Tito’s antifascist resistance in the WWII)

“Velickovic, start packing! The written-off return!“ (as per famous The Written Off Return series about partisans)

“Last episode: Nick Slaughter comes to get you!”, “Nick Slaughter for president!”

(Slaughter is a popular American television detective)

“Injustice, what else!” (cartoon character Calimero’s famous line)

“You have Strumphed your time, Great Strumph! How much longer Great Strumph! I hate to wait!” (Strumphs are Yugoslav version of The Smurphs)

“When will the flower Snow White look for the dwarfs in some other country for her red fairy tale?”

It is honourable to defend people from the thieves, it is dishonourable to defend thieves from the people

Officers - JUL’s vampires (JUL – Milosevic’s wife party)

Cordon can be jumped – Rollers of Belgrade

Little step for a man and the big one for Serbia – step out of the cordon and walk into history

You are guarding those who stole our voices

Om said it nicely: We need resistance

Tomorrow, at the same time, we are continuing (at the end of the walks)

With Index (student ID) against the thieves!

Sheep says BEAH, the student says NO!

Johnny Walker is the only walker that this government likes.

They cannot cancel the university!

It is better to have an Index in hands than a flower in the hair! (Milosevic’s wife was famous for wearing the flower in her hair)

It is not nice to poison children, but something has to be done with them!

He is in constant contact with BU (Belgrade University): he knows prof. dr Mira! [Milosevic]

Hold on democracy! Index

Joseph K also looked for a solution in the institutions of the system!

Free university, not Sloba’s university!

I watch the News and I started to take drugs too!

Failed manipulated student is bringing down the regime for free (code: grade 8.80)

Long live the children of our parents!

If you are following out flight, then you know that Belgrade is the world!

BU students Rector is dead!

Long live Rector!

Red Gang!

We are not giving up victory!

They can blow you Zorane! (Djindjic)

Film: Stolen votes Main role: HE Scenario: SHE Direction: HE and SHE

Thieves, Thieves!

Victory

Let’s all attack (from football fans) – alike: hey, ho, let’s go)

Let’s all go for a walk!

Democracy on the road again!

We feel miserable if we don’t walk 20 km a day.

On the street is warm because of the heart!

With us the street are shorter!

Kakav otac takva otadzbina – The father(land) is the same as its father…

We want computers, not guns - states a poster on Belgrade street

Students against the machine

Mom, your hooligan loves you!

Sve je stalo samo deca rastu[1] [Everything has stopped, just the kids are growing]

I am a manipulated, fascistic stoller

Slobo, cekam te! Tito [Slobo, I am waiting for you! Tito]

Sloba je zapalio zito[2] [Slobo burnt the wheat] (from a film by Branko Bauer “Salas u malom ritu”, 1976 where the accused for the burning of the wheat gets shot by the Nazis)

Sloboda se pise sa N – Freedom is written with N (a word metaphor expressing the elimination of the letter N in the name of the president, it deletes the president as what is left is the term for freedom)

These people went completely crazy. Finally!

Movements must have heroes! That’s all of us!

Noise is in fashion!

They came to power with guns, they will lose it with whistles

Arrest the traffic light!

Power to imagination!

Let’s all go for a beer, I’ll come tomorrow

Forces of chaos and madness

No sex because of the protest

I exchange my husband for a stroller

I’m a student of Belgrade University – Stroller 17 XI 1996

Three-piece banner featured cartoon character Hagar the Terrible as Milosevic (he), Hagar’s wife (she) and us were all around – a reference to Slavoljub Djukic book about Milosevic’s rise to power (He, she and us published by Radio B92, 1997)

http://www.zorandjindjic.org/en

http://www.czkd.org

http://www.kulturklammer.org/view/64

http://www.ted.com/talks/srdja_popovic_how_to_topple_a_dictator.html

http://www.b92.net/info/komentari.php?nav_id=559864

http://www.yurope.com/mirrors/protest96/ni/pismo.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCJpHGxGdXI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h6mVFTYcsE

http://nikolicm.tripod.com/cdcritics.html

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.139998436067336.29338.125939594139887&type=1

http://www.b92.net/info/komentari.php?nav_id=559864

Flags of Western European states and USA are taken to protest to show that Serbia is part of the civilised world - Germany, Canada, USA, Ferrari. UN flags had a special place in this group that also featured flags of different political parties and rock-stars

 








Glasses against media blindness

Badges and whistles

Sneakers and boots for walking

Jester hats

Wigs

Caps with protest logo

Uniforms

Helmets

Rave clothing

Masks, mostly of bogies and monkeys

Handcuffs, plastic maces and clubs

Stuffed owl

Walking as a form of resistance became the spirit of the protest. Many people from the vehicles shout at them: We are with you, but a few drivers run into protesters angry because they cannot drive through the protesters or they are supporting Milosevic’s regime, which forbade the walks on the 24th of December, so “they do not disturb the traffic”. 

Routes

1. From Terazije, through Serbian Rulers Street, turning at the cross-roads London, via Prince Milos and Takovska Street, changing direction via Lole Ribara and Makedonska Streets, marking a full circle by arriving to Republic Square or Plateau in front of Faculty of Philosophy

2. The route of the tram number 2 that is encircling the city centre

3. The longest march was to the Faculty of Agriculture in Zemun in order to find Rector

4. “Awakening Belgrade” was a name of the evening walk

5. On the 17^th of December, the walk included Dorcol borough

Indoor route start

At Clinical Central Hospital - Rastko Kostic, a wounded student journalist organized walks at 7.30 pm of the funeral of Predrag Starcevic to the Republic Square 

Tolstoy Street - because Milosevic villa was there

Republic Square – Freedom Square

On the Day of St. Sava, patron saint of Serbia, the police cordon withdraws from Kolarceva Street after 178 hours. During that time, the protesters play football, volleyball on the rain and chess, read Dostoievski, listened to poetry, do gymnastics or gave policeman the leaflets with the definition of the term ‘stroll’ – designating a slow walk from A to B with at least 40.000 friends producing strange sounds

Branko’s bridge on the Sava river to stop New Belgraders from joining the protest at the city centre. People gather on both side of the river before the police breaks them up

Indoor route start

In theatres – after the performance of Powder Keg at the Yugoslav Dramatic Theatre

Prisoner’s March is organised by students when the police cordon blocks the walk for democracy. They wear prison clothes and place their hands behind their heads in the demonstration at Kneza Mihaila Street. 

City centre is blocked by the police, but people are allowed to go onto the zebra crossing when the light is green, so they step on the streets dancing and shouting ‘Give us back the green!’ and ‘Red gang’! When the cordon gives up and turns their backs, the people shout “Finally, the walk!”, but the police returns and starts beating them up.

Noise was made by: whistles, rattles, trumpets, musical instruments, sirens, horns, bells, pots and pans. Some of the music programme is devised by Katarina Kostic
 

On the 30^th of November, the former president dismissed by Milosevic, Ivan Stambolic during the speech at the protest, mentioned the name Slobodan Milosevic and the whistling lasted for 22 minutes. In the peripheries of Belgrade, when one is whistling, the others respond from afar.

Police cordons. Every day. Waiting for us, students. They have been ordered to stop the student procession. Some of them are in the mood for friendly conversation. Here follows a compilation of some of their statements...

About their work:

"We go to work 10:00 a.m. every morning. We are taken to the Republic Square by busses, and than we wait. We are throwing snowballs at each other, playing cards and listening to radio B92. My brother works there (at B92). We haven't spoke to each other since all this began. He can't understand, but I'm just doing my job. I can't throw my police bat and shield and just walk away. I have a family to support."

"It is said that we receive 100 dinars per day. That is not true. We are only given one can, loaf of bread and a pack of cigarettes."

About students:

"We had no problems with them. They give us popcorns, chocolates, flowers, cigarettes. One girl offered me some chocolate yesterday. My commander told me: 'Let it go! Do not take! Do not talk! Attention!'. I took the chocolate and hid it in my pocket, when he looked the other way."

"One of the traffic police officers was fired because he supported the students by whistling and waving on one city square."

About pro-regime gathering:

It was terrible. They (people) were throwing bottles and other things on us.  A lot of my colleagues were injured. It's terrible... you are ordered to beat up your own people! You, students should have come in between... Someone else is pulling the strings and financing everything."

About media:

"We listen to radio B92 to find out what is going on. It looks as if 'Politika' (pro-regime newspaper) and 'Demokratija' (Democracy) (pro-opposition newspaper) are newspapers from different countries. We do not watch RTS (Serbian national TV) in my house."

 The boys in blue, Generation '76:

"Every day we wear gym suits under our uniforms. In case that we are ordered to beat up our people, we will take off our uniforms and run into the crowd. It's no time for playing games."

 Chit-chat:

"If I wasn't a policeman, I'd be a thief. That's the only profitable job."

"I'm 24 years old. I was taken to war. Hell."

"Here is my pager number. Call me. I'd like to chat with you when I'm not in my uniform."

"Thank you for the popcorns."

"It's OK to take pictures with us here... Will you bring us the photos tomorrow?"

Macbeth-It performed for the students and in front of the police cordon by Sonja Vukicevic and Slobodan Bestic.

On New Years Eve, an illusionist shows a trick “A sudden disappearance of votes”.

Student from the Traffic school organise Movement in the Inhabited Place performance.

Symphony for Whistles is conducted by Zoran Hristic.

Yugoslav Drama Theatre includes protest in their performance “Powder Keg” by inviting the audience to continue on the streets.


Group “Magnet” existed from 1996 to 1998. The core of the group were Nune Popovic, Ivan Pravdic and Jelena Marjanovic and assistants were Sinisa Tucic, Nikola Popovic, Marija Loncar, Vladimir Acan, Mina Vuletic (my high school friend) and Dejan Jakovljevic. In that period, Nune and “Magnet” performed a set of direct actions and performances on principles of art guerrilla: “Falu Serbia”, “The last supper”, “Exorcism”, “Requiem for Serbia”, “88 eggs for new opposition government”, “Our condolences”.

The happening of the voices (Udesavanje glasova) by Vlado Perovic, 1997 BK TV production  

January river (Januarska reka) by Radivoje Andric, 1997, B92 production

The week of struggle against the disruption (Nedelja borbe protiv ometanja) by Radivoje Andric, 1996, B92 production

To the eggs (Do jaja) by Zelimir Zilnik, 1996, B92 production

These legs are not small, they gave wisdom to many (Ove noge nisu male, mnogima su pamet dale) by Aleksandar Davic, 1997, B92 production

Cordon (Kordon) by Goran Markovic, 2002, RTS & Viktoria Film

Belgrade Follies (Poludeli ljudi) by Goran Markovic, 1997, B92 production 

Belgrade Radio Warriors - Tune On, Tune In, Slob Out (Beogradski radio borci) by Sabrina Wulff and Oliver Tataru, 2007, University of television and film Munich in association with BBC

Demonstrations as a theatre act (Demonstracije kao pozorisni cin) by Nela Milic, 1997 BK TV 

Sound of Serbia by Stevan Vasiljevic

Strange creature (Cudno bice)

Carnevolution (Karnevolucija)

84 dana setnje (84 days of walking)

Slike sa protesta (Pictures from the protest) 

Undressing freedom - Instead of performance (Svlacenje slobode – Umesto predstave) 10.12.1996

Extract:

…I am going to be sick…

…Yes, I am apologising because this gathering has been announced as a support to student protest, at the beginning, that is what you said, it has been recorded so I feel here as the most important person regardless of the fact that here are all actors, vain people, which is totally normal, I am apologising in advance but I do not know if the vanity is working, someone’s ego or just the fear, but all of this conversation makes no sense to me and I do not feel that anyone is supporting me here, these are some of your internal things and they really have nothing to do with me, I think it is more important in this moment to be a citizen than an actor or whatever…

- applause

really, I do not care if the performances are going to happen or not, I will be more distressed if IMT (motor and tractor industry) closes its drive, believe me, it is really like that.

Attack all! From the Belgrade’s walk (Svi u napad – iz Beogradske setnje), 1997, BiS press

Fanzine Cancelled (Ponisteni) by Uros Bobic

Nails (Kandze) by Marko Vidojkovic, 2004, Samizdat B92

Do you have something to contribute to this archive as a map? If so, please email nela011@hotmail.com

Author: Nela Milic is a small girl at the front of this picture, the other people are friends and colleagues from then BK television – Tanja, Anja, Darko, Miksa…

Spreading of love was an obligation of every street protester – the form of it was not prescribed
Photo by Oleg Popov (Reuters)

Thousands of people in their cars claim the break-down, which causes gridlock in the city, blocking police cars and armoured vehicles. Even children are trying ‘to fix’ their toy cars. The people leave their ‘broken’ cars and continue to walk. Taxi drivers refuse to drive the well-known supporters of the regime, like RTS News presenter, Gordana Susa.

The Serbian uprising in '96/'97 was an attempt to overthrow dictatorship of then president Milosevic after he annulled elections because of the victory of the opposition party. Ashamed by the unsuccessful outcome of their protest and subsequent disappointment with political progress in the state, people of Serbian capital have never produced an archive of photos, banners and graffiti, which emerged during these demonstrations.

The narratives of this event known as “The Winter of Discontent” have been locked within the community and there are only odd visual references neglected in people’s houses or scattered on the various Internet platforms. My research generates them through oral histories and object elicitation that looks at the uprising by analyzing these accumulated in-depth interviews and historic relics around them. It also depicts my own position as a researcher within such history and describes the challenges of the archival practice in reflection.

Presented cartographically in sections of the online archive (timetables, actions, routes) with display of art formats (poems, photos, music), this overview of cultural, political and social circumstances within which the protest’s artwork was produced reveals how this material influenced the actions of the citizens.

My project is the archive of that event - a digital map of images, leaflets, badges, flags, vouchers, cartoons, crochets etc, an online record of the elucidated protest available to participants, scholars and public. I conducted practice-based research through methodology matrix of the photo elicitation, object analysis, visual, historical, auto ethnography and oral history. This complexity reflects the study of the Balkans, the attempts to capture an event and the mantle of archival practice. 

The signs on the streets read: “Can’t touch this: ‘liberated places’”, evoking American rapper MC Hammer’s hit UCan’t touch this from 1990.

 

Mobile sound system













Drummers were proclaimed to be urban terrorists.

The signs on the streets read: “Can’t touch this: ‘liberated places’”, evoking American rapper MC Hammer’s hit UCan’t touch this from 1990.

Some songs were especially associated with the protest: Mesecina (Moonlight) - a gypsy brass song from Kusturica’s film “Underground”, Zajedno (Together) - a remake by Playboy of an old Croatian hit of Prljavo kazaliste (Dirty theatre) by supporters of the opposition coalition party with the same name), Breathe - a dance track from 1996 by the British band The Prodigy, Kolotecina (Everydayness) by Belgrade’s urban indie band Darkwood Dub and Slusaj ‘vamo aka Mir Brate Mir (Listen Here: Peace Brother Peace) by rock band Rim tu ti tuki. The diversity expressed through these songs was considered the urban quality - an element which counterposed the city to widespread images of homogenous, bland and unchanging ruralism (Pusic, 1995: 571–574; Prodanovic, 1997: 25–26) as the folk (turbo) scene was part of the regime’s soundscape. Rock music was an antithesis to the dominant folk because it was engrossed into dissident politics and part of the collective action away from ethno euphoria inspired by the regime.

At the celebration of the Serbian New Year in 1997 musicians as Balasevic, Partibrejkers (Partybreakers), Familija (Family), Love Hunters, Darkwood Dub and the crowd of 500,000 were addressed by Sting, Prodigy and actors like Harvey Keitel, Vanessa Redgrave and local artists Emir Kusturica and Matija Beckovic, but also the Patriarch Pavle.

Songs of Bajaga, Belgrade pop star who enjoyed success during the time of both Tito and Milosevic were also played on the streets, building up the city spirit, especially the one titled: Verujem, Ne Verujem (I believe, I don’t believe) metaphorically capturing the confusion with the election results. A hit by rock band Disciplina Kicme, Decija pesma (Children’s song) gets a change of a word ‘hands’ to ‘feet’ by the students who walked 20 miles to Belgrade from Novi Sad singing it: “These feet are not small, they give wisdom to many”. Song The Voice (Glas) also The Vote gets especially composed for the protest and MTV shoots a clip for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l-ALPdUIus

The Patriot

Wrap up warm my children, today is the day.

Cover your body and prepare to shiver, swapping ice

from one leg to another, alert and alarmed as

today they’ll come. 

I’ll keep you cold, but steady, so you find your way

through the snow, I am linking up with for this final battle. 

When they come with bats, water guns and rage

I’ll blow you to the side, so you’ll run through alleyways

and you’ll get around the buildings on the safe part of the square.

Don’t be frightened. I’ll keep working low, through their legs,

then reverse to their shields to pull them back.

As I do so – attack their hearts with your battalion of mothers,

send the girls with flowers on the front,

I’ll rustle their hair and extend their eyelashes

if the beauty doesn’t stop them nothing you have will.

Come, children, give me a hug.

Mask candle lights with your palms,

take a deep breath and start singing when I begin to whistle.

Revolution mustn’t start with the barking of their dogs.

Travelling Cinema

You can’t touch what is in my suitcase.

If you reach for pictures,

they disappear and your hand

lands on its sides, images

caressing your skin, fading out and

vanishing like the smoke.

You see life moving

across the white in-lining.

The births and birthdays,

Families and holidays,

Loves and weddings,

Deaths and funerals. 

You watch the whole nation

on a long protest march

creating the waves, sea of people

whilst dancing down the streets. 

You hear laughter, horns and whistles,

the beating of pots and pans.

Pieces of revolution,

caught in kaleidoscope,

a mosaic of memories

instead of a diary and

nothing else to declare.

Poems by Nela Milic

Most of the photographs in this map archive are in colour and taken with analogue cameras. 

They are mainly from the private collections of my research contributors that I refer to when possible, but even though they were given to me by ‘the owner’, they often do not have assigned authorship as s/he could not locate it. Many Belgraders refuse the engagement in projects that are recorded or display formality, so it is imperative to understand that this research could not yield its artefacts if devised differently. 

Facebook pages that opened and closed during my research were assigned to the event itself, rather than to a person. The most relevant is Studentski protesti 90-ih set up by Milos Miljatovic: https://www.facebook.com/pages/%D0%A1%D1%82%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8-90-%D0%B8%D1%85/125939594139887?fref=ts

Belgrade media organisations like B92 provided some of the images via its websites into my archive too, especially the ones that mark 15 years since the protest. Other local professionals that shot images for print media mostly ended up in the repository that Reuters provided to me in a bulk by dates, without authorship. Many authors, out of fear chose to be anonymous contributors to both Reuters and my repository. Methodology chapter covers to the issues around the authorship and images. See the enclosed memory card for the full list of images and sites the text illustrates. 

In the spirit of the protest that oozes subversion - this category of the map entitled Gallery - has no pictures at all. They are scattered around the city, so you'll have to visit its spots in order to find them.

The student march to Dedinje is blocked by the police protecting the district where state leaders reside, including Milosevic’s family. Also called "March of Peace" (Mars Mira) translated in Serbian as Mira, Get Out! it was accompanied by cries Going for a Cuppa and Mira, put the kettle on.

A contest is organised in front of the police cordon – the winner was a student from the Faculty of mechanical engineering who kissed one of the policeman and told him: “We are staying here.” A competition for Mister Cordon was also a crowd hit. The Models Society also organised a cordon of 40 models.

Zajedno leaders suggest that people take out their pets for a walk as Milosevic seems not to like people. They parade their pets in front of the police cordon – birds in cages, dogs, cats, fish tanks, hamsters, a mare named Mala and puppet animals in the lack of the real ones. Fours sheep with slogans written on their fleece are brought to the protest to emulate the obeying police

A collective disguise in all possible uniforms is played out in front of the police cordon. Majority are ‘civil guards’ and there is SS-personnel helmet on display as a souvenir of war in previous citizens' resistance.

Students donate blood "to allow those who seized power by blood to leave and have the blood again".

Make-shift venues spring in front of the cordon. With the appearance of the day, the students do physical exercise. At one point, the female instructor does push – ups on the car. Everyone applauds, but does not repeat the task. 

Students use chalk to mark places where people fell after beatings by the police.

The demonstrators blocked their noses to hide from the smell when passing by the media buildings.

Students go in 10-day search of Rector as he has not been seen in public for days. They look for him at the Zoo, in the Danube using fishing rod, on Mars in astronomic observatory, on highway, in the underground, in the markets (it was told that he might have been selling eggs there), restaurants and pubs. In Topciderski park, they search for rare species: ‘rector impudicus’ and ‘sloba vulgaris’, but find ‘policius policius’ and ‘senta militaris’ (Senta was Milosevic’s bodyguard). At the end, they go to the fortune-teller Branka who tells them that the rector will be fired in ten days.

A photo y Peca Vujanovic, Blic

The red star is taken off the City Hall. Some embassies lose their plaques too. The star was taken down from the Old Palace by the mountain climbers

Reading a sign: “I do not want to emigrate when I graduate”. 

In order to demonstrate that they are not destroying the city and that they can challenge the police cordon, the protesters built a brick wall in front of the Federal Parliament.

Coalition Zajedno laid a funeral wreath in front of Serbian Presidency with the inscription ‘the justice died here’. They lit the candles too.

This action was in reference to the arrest and beating up of Bulatovic who carried Milosevic’s effigy. Milosevic addressed citizens of Kosovo with the same statement.

Sometimes the students confined between three faculty buildings hid and run through little streets around the square, perplexing the police.

The telephone numbers of government offices and state television were published for citizens to call all day and night as nuisance.

In general, everywhere…

The song “Long live our work” in front of Federal Parliament is performed by students who pass hundred of bricks from hand to hand to demonstrate: ‘we are builders, not destroyers’ as state propaganda claimed the protesters are destroying the country.  

Disinfection and extermination of vermin at Serbian parliament, student campus and the Chancellery of Belgrade University.

On St. Nicholas’s day when majority of the Belgraders were celebrating it at home with their families Milosevic organised his supporters in contra-meeting. Still, 100.000 Belgraders come to the streets. Terazije, where it was held, was the day after been washed with hoses, brooms, brushes and detergent because of the ‘disgrace and other consequences’.

Cleansing of ghosts and demons in the Rectorate building was happening by wearing garlic and hawthorn sticks.

Eggs

Eggs are hurled on the City Hall, Palilula municipality hall, Supreme Court and official media headquarters: Radio Television Serbia (known as RTS or Bastille), Radio Belgrade, Borba and Politika. The idea was to spoil and shame the regime supporters without harming them. Some people left eggs to rot, so they stink when broken and the stains are hard to remove.

Toilet paper

Rolls are thrown on Belgrade Electoral Commission building with shouts “We had enough of your shit!”

Condoms

Student throw condoms at the Supreme Court of Serbia building with shouts “Condoms for cowards, don’t catch something when you go inside!” because the demonstrations were proclaid illegal. They leave the copy of the constitutional law in front of it. Body fluids and excrements joined the packages of shame.

Bones

Just before ‘woof woofing’, bones were thrown in front of the police. 

Old newspapers and other ‘out of date’ things

State news agency Tanjug gets hit by the ‘old stuff’ as it reports ‘old news’. People throw old news, paper from windows.

False banknotes

The distribution of the notes came as a response to the media accusation that the protesters were foreign agitators.

Chairs and Benches

When rector promised to resign if the students return to classes, they bring chairs and benches from the university onto the streets.

Paper planes

Paper planes are thrown at the state Radio Television Station (RTS) and Politika – 150.000 of them. 

Paper bags with red dye and yogurt, join toilet paper and eggs in the pool of objects for throwing at pro-government media buildings. Yogurt represents an ironic comment on Milosevic’s yogurt revolution in 1988, which he claimed was a national and mass movement. 

Red paint

The paint marked the association of the state party with the communists. N

Rocks

Rocks flew on RTS and Politika.

Balloons

From windows and balconies, people throw confetti and balloons.

There was carrying of objects, signs and people.

Mirrors

To show police cordon how stupid they look. This performance was called ‘Turn back their picture to them’ and it was organised by the Workshop for the city repair.

Puppets

Slobodan Milosevic and his wife Mira reappeared as dummies on the streets from the protest in 1992, but also as caricatures with a whistle and a red star. Mira had her standard flower in hair and then became Miss Russian Academy because of her alleged entry into the Russian Academy of Sciences. Milosevic in prisoner’s clothes is almost life size. Young man Dejan Bulatovic who was carrying the effigy is arrested and beaten by the police.

Copies

Old constitution copies are left by the students at the Supreme Court of Serbia

Student ID booklet

The booklet was not only serving the identification purpose, but when held up as such a bright red object, it became a prop for a street performance that contrasted the snow.





Toys

Plush camels, dogs and cats, teddy bear with a sign “Time to awaken from torpidity” 

Instruments

Bongos, bells (up to 5 kilos), castanets, trumpets (from ships, hunting and orchestras), drums, whistles, rattles (improvised from the cans or professional)… Jazz musicians organised the action Blowing off the cordon with the musical instruments, including the whistles. Apparently, in the restaurant “Sailor” someone blew the trumpet and all the guests took out whistles and started making noise.

Food and drink to share

Flowers for the police

Flowers were taken to the police cordon as well as to the Palace of Justice as the students were mourning the passing of the justice.

To ‘support’ the new minister of information, Radmila Milentijevic, the students ‘pour water’ on transmission cables of Radio B92 and Radio Index.

Milk pouring in front of the police cordon to ‘milk’ the establishment and the revolution.

Residents of Belgrade welcome the citizens of other protesting areas who come by buses, cars or on foot - walking, like Novi Sad students for 20 hours or from Nis, covering 125 miles. 

This campaign was advertised as well as practiced spontaneously by the protesters – from the ladies who made an effort for the picture with the police and they decorated their helmets with flowers to the families who got inspired on the spot. 

Demokratija (Democracy)

Nasa Borba (Our Struggle)

Blic (Flash)

Vreme (Time)

Stuck to the lamp posts, gates of various institutions and around the Student’s square, the announcement informed the citizens about the events and developments at the protest

Students protest against the blockades of walks by replicating the police cordon in front of the ‘real’ one which they serve with warm drinks, food, entertainment and poetry by Walt Whitman, The Ethics by Aristotle and the entry Ethics from an encyclopaedia. Mini Olympics contain football, basketball, tennis, handball, fishing etc. Skirmishing of the police continues as a daily routine for the protesters. When the police behaves badly, the protesters turn their backs to them.


A photo y Peca Vujanovic, Blic

Walking became political (Jansen, 2001) and its participants wore badges naming Setac or Setacica (Walker - m/f). The protest presented itself as performance of self-conscious citizens, which was elucidated by the banner ‘Cogito ergo ambulam’ in Latin for ‘I think, therefore I walk’. Apart from reinforcing the idea that this was a protest by flaneurs [1] and other people with intellect and education, it evoked the Cartesian rationalist axiom [2], which underlies enlightened ‘European civilization’. This carnival of characters now confused the government's media machine. Who causes this vast ‘public disorder’ that is spreading daily by scooping thousands in its spiral? The Walkers became fascists, bogus refugees, foreign journalists, manipulated citizens, Karadzic's soldiers, turbo-folk singers, ultranationalists, CIA agents, drugged, and degenerate elements... “ It was as if it were a new form of rapid and radical mutation which had caught the whole society off guard...” (Curgus and Babovic, 1997)

This campaign was advertised as well as practiced spontaneously by the protesters – from the ladies who made an effort for the picture with the police and they decorated their helmets with flowers to the families who got inspired on the spot. 

14 bags of the soil from the cities where there was an election theft were placed in front of the cordon 

Librarians attempted to gift the police officers with a book

The boat with the red star was placed on the river and sent away

Blockade of both sides of the Branko’s bridge