LRAD canon could be used against protesters in Serbia

A panic movement in the crowd of numerous anti-corruption protesters in Belgrade on March 15 raises questions. Suspicions turn towards the authorities and the president. Special police forces are said to have used a banned weapon.

According to the opposition, Yugoimport, a state-owned company managing military equipment in Serbia, imported a sound cannon from Israel in 2022. This non-lethal weapon, although capable of causing serious health issues, emits frequencies to drive away attackers or disperse a crowd. Despite being banned in Serbia, the arsenal in question is said to have been used during the massive demonstration on March 15, 2025. Between 275,000 and 325,000 people, according to an independent count, and 107,000 according to police figures, filled the streets of Belgrade to protest against the corruption that plagues the country. The movement began in November 2024 following the collapse of the Novi Sad station canopy. This deadly incident, which resulted in 15 fatalities, outraged the population.

Message understood… really?

Since then, signs of opposition, marches and protests have almost never ceased, culminating in last Saturday’s major event in Belgrade. One of the crowd’s demands was the resignation of the Serbian president, Aleksandar Vucic. That same evening he declared that he had "understood the message", while calling for an end to the movement: "It's important that our children go to school and that students return to university." Having announced the previous week that he would "blow the whistle on these protests", he expressed gladness that everything passed without incident. However, a surprising incident occurred during this gigantic civic gathering.

Panic Movement

Since Saturday evening, a video circulating on social media shows a panic at 7:11pm during a "15 minutes of silence" operation. People suddenly disperse in disarray and are heard shouting following a series of bangs and a hot draft. It resembles the effects of an LRAD cannon, emitting a targeted sonic "beam" at volumes reaching up to 160 dB. According to retired general Zdravko Ponos, a member of the opposition, at least 700 people among the demonstrators sought emergency care. They suffered from hearing issues, discomfort, burns, migraines, and malfunctions of their pacemakers. There were also patients admitted for injuries sustained from falls in the stampede. Some have already filed complaints against the State. From the authorities' side, the use of a sound cannon is denied with threats of legal action against those spreading these "rumours".

(MH with Olivier Duquesne – Source: RFI – Picture: © picture alliance / PIXSELL | Dejan Rakita)