On March 17, a video (1;2), circulated on social media showing a confrontation between participants at an ongoing protest in Serbia. In the video, a person holding a Georgian flag is confronted by others, and the flag is later taken away.
Following the spread of the video, Facebook users linked the act of taking the flag to a negative attitude of Serbian activists toward Georgia. Judging by the comments under the post, some commenters believe that the person holding the Georgian flag was a Georgian and was criticized for interfering in the internal affairs of another country.
To clarify details of the incident, Myth Detector contacted the person who filmed the video.
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What Caused the Confrontation at the Protest?
The video initially spread on the social network X. The author of the video is Miodrag Kapor, the executive director of the NGO NIFA (No Immunity from Accountability). On March 16, he posted that, despite opposition media claiming the protest was peaceful, they were attacked and posted two videos.
Notably, only one of these two videos, which shows the argument involving the person with the Georgian flag, was shared by Georgian-language sources. However, in the second video, we see that protesters also confronted another person holding Ukrainian and Palestinian flags.
In another video, filmed at the same location before the incident and also published by the author on March 16, he is seen holding the European Union flag. This indicates that they had brought EU, Ukrainian, Palestinian, and Georgian flags to the protest.
According to the author, he was at the scene with Vladimir Arsenijević, the head of the KROKODIL organization, and Filip Jovanović. Later, KROKODIL released a statement on its Facebook page regarding the incident:
“Yesterday at the student protest, Vladimir Arsenijević, president of the CROCODILE Association, carried Palestinian and Ukrainian flags in order to convey support and solidarity to our now fellow citizens and friends from Gaza and Ukraine whom we helped find safe shelter in Serbia. Together with others, who carried the Georgian flag as well as the EU flag, it was attacked by vulgar bullies in a deep conviction that the main narrative of this nationwide movement actually belonged to them.
“The fact is also that no one, literally no one, of the citizens present stood in defense of Vladimir Arsenijević, Mia Kapor, and Filip Jovanović, who carried the mentioned flags. As if the presence at the protests of the flags of Ukraine and Palestine, nations that are symbols of the long-term suffering and mass suffering of civilians under the boot of far more powerful neighbors, the flag of a country with which we have never had any problematic relations like Georgia, and the flag of the EU, the community we should strive to, can be characterized as a ‘provocation’… “
By comparing the individuals shown in the videos with their photos on social media, it can be concluded that the activist holding the Georgian flag was Filip Jovanović. Notably, Georgian-speaking Facebook users perceived him as a Georgian citizen and a participant in the protests taking place in Georgia. However, Jovanović has indicated that he lives in Valjevo, Serbia, and his social media presence does not suggest any other connection to Georgia.
Myth Detector contacted the author of the video, Miodrag Kapor. He stated that he has been carrying flags at protests for the past four months and that the attack on March 16 was not the first incident. Kapor accused pro-Russian forces of hijacking the protest, claiming that they bring pro-Russian and anti-Western movement flags to demonstrations. He considers the situation a result of a coordinated disinformation campaign but also noted that a significant portion of Serbian citizens support the European Union, though many are afraid to display its symbols. Regarding the reason for bringing the Georgian flag to the protest, Kapor explained:
“We brought the Georgian flag because I am well aware that you are facing a pro-Russian authoritarian government. Your citizens have shown value-based resilience against the anti-democratic forces backed by Moscow.”
Thus, Serbian citizens brought the EU, Georgian, Ukrainian, and Palestinian flags to the protest as a gesture of solidarity and to support Serbia’s European course. However, some attendees perceived this act as a provocation, which led to the confrontation.
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Why Do Some Protesters Oppose Bringing Foreign Flags to the Demonstration?
The large-scale protests in Serbia began in response to the tragic incident in Novi Sad on November 1, 2024, when a concrete canopy collapsed at a railway station, killing 15 people. The people who took to the streets accused the government of corruption and poor construction practices.
The protests in Serbia are organized by students. They make decisions through voting. Their protest methods vary – for example, on November 27, they blocked one of Belgrade’s most important transportation hubs for 24 hours. Additionally, they hold large demonstrations on the 15th of every month (in memory of the 15 victims). One such protest took place on March 15, with attendance estimated between 275,000 and 325,000 people, according to different sources.
On November 28, 2024, amid the protests, Prime Minister Miloš Vučević resigned, followed by the resignation of the entire cabinet. However, demonstrations have continued, with protesters demanding government accountability.
The protests are led by students, who make decisions collectively through a voting system. They reject leadership from opposition political forces due to distrust. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić claims that the protests are orchestrated from abroad. However, the students deliberately distance themselves from major geopolitical issues and exclusively wave Serbian flags at demonstrations. The organizers are aware that the government could accuse them of being influenced by foreign forces, so they choose to carry only Serbian flags to avoid appearing as if they are under external influence. During protests, they also widely use the “bloody hand” image, which has become a key symbol of the movement. Additionally, students display signs of their respective faculties and other protest-related symbols.
It is also noteworthy that European Union flags have disappeared from the ongoing protests in Serbia. A confrontation over the EU flag occurred at a protest on December 22, 2024. On that occasion, the flag was also held by Miodrag Kapor. According to Radio Free Europe, young protesters took the flag from him, chanting, “This flag is unacceptable,” and a physical altercation ensued. The video quickly spread across far-right Telegram channels, with claims that Kapor had come to the protest to provoke and that activists had “prevented” this. Meanwhile, regime-supporting tabloids used the footage to argue that the protesters were not pro-European. Following these incidents, students stated that they welcome participation from different groups in the protests but firmly insist that political parties and other individuals refrain from displaying their flags. In an interview with Radio Free Europe, one of the students, Emilija Milenković, explained:
“The Serbian flag is the symbol of our country; it represents what we are fighting for – our state, in the sense that it belongs to us, and we are its future. This sends the message that we do not want to leave this country, and ultimately, our struggle is an act of patriotism.
“This blockade is independent, impartial, and non-partisan. Of course, [the participation of] all citizens is welcome, but the symbols of political parties are not.”
