Gendarmerie surrounded students and citizens to prevent them from reaching the Palace of Serbia where the military parade was held

(Patria) - Gendarmerie members surrounded students and citizens who came across the Palace of Serbia where the military parade "Strength of Unity" is being held and are not allowing them further passage.

The Gendarmerie in full riot gear are pushing the gathered people towards nearby office buildings, N1 Serbia reports.

They wanted to show support for the Serbian Army, but they were not allowed to pass.

"Army, help us," shouted the surrounded citizens. One of them told N1 that gendarmes and police are pushing citizens, even though they are just standing peacefully and want to watch the military parade.

"We came without anything, no one has a mask, balaclava, helmet... We came as normal citizens. I am the child of a military pilot, they are not letting me see the parade," said a man from the crowd.

Another told the gendarmes not to disgrace themselves, and reprimanded them for beating "people, professors, students, the best that the country has".

The gendarmes were commanded by a larger man with a balaclava who at one point ordered the citizens to be pushed back from the sidewalk, and roughly pushed a young man and a girl back into the crowd.

At that moment, loud whistles were heard, and for the first time since the students and citizens gathered today, chanting was heard: "Pump, pump, pump!!!"

Students had previously announced that they would organize a rally today under the slogan "Freedom is the most expensive Serbian word", as a form of support for the members of the Serbian Army, which, as they emphasized, does not belong to one party or one person, but is the army of all citizens.