Police Brutality Against Protesters at BIH Football Association Planned

26 May 2008

(Photo: Sarajevo-x.com)

The Dosta Movement accused the Ministry of Interior of Bosnia and Herzegovina of intentional brutality against the participants in the protests organized last Friday, May 23, in front of the building of the BiH Football Association in Sarajevo.

On initiative of the Youth Movement for Better BiH, protests were organized (initially to take place on Saturday, May 24, but moved to Friday because of the game day of the Bosnian Premier League) because of the situation of Bosnian and Herzegovinian football and the latest developments in the FABIH.

The initiative was joined by numerous fans` associations and football fan groups from Sarajevo, Mostar, Zenica and Tuzla. The Dosta! Movement also called the citizens to join the football supporters in the protest. The initiative was also supported by the Citizens of Sarajevo and a number of public personalities.

About 2000 people turned up in front of FABIH building, mostly organized football fans, with small number of citizens and activists. After about 20 minutes of peaceful protests, accompanied by the racket created by fans` pyrotechnics, admittedly, thrown at the building, the Police, although under no threat of attack or any immediate danger, attacked the protesters without warning and beating everyone indiscriminately.

(Photo: Sarajevo-x.com)

Innocent passers-by, elderly, women and children fell victims to rampaging riot squad. Some 30 people were arrested and detained. After it broke the protests and emptied the street, the Police blocked all access to the FABIH building.

-We have to point out that there was no warning by the Police for protesters to move and dissipate. Quite clearly, the Police lost its professional standards today and put itself in service of the criminals in the Football Association and their associates, the corrupt politicians, states the public statement released by Dosta Movement.

We learn unofficially that the Police received orders to use force and to `not allow the ring-leaders to escape`, in an attempt to demonize the citizens and football fans that took part in the protest. Our sources also say that the riot-policemen at the place came with their stereotyped view of fans as hooligans, adding that no material damage was caused on the surrounding buildings or the FA building.

-We believe that the Police bears all responsibility for the riots today. We want to praise the behaviour of football fan groups, who managed, for the first time, to create a union against those who should have felt the power of `our` police authorities long time ago, adds Dosta.

(Photo: Sarajevo-x.com)

Dosta adds that Friday`s events prove that the Government will not tolerate any protest any more, will attack without warning, in spite of the obligation for the Police to issue warnings before going into action, and that the Police openly sided with the criminals and corrupt politicians.

The initiative of protests and boycott against the current situation in FA BiH continues on June 1, at the Kosevo Olympic Stadium, with a game of big former and current stars of Bosnian and Nerzegovinian football, at the same time when the national team plays a friendly with Azerbaijan.