The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights is disgusted by the violence and public demonstration of Fascism in its grossest form at the panel discussion staged at the Novi Sad Faculty of Philosophy to mark the International Day against Fascism and Semitism on 9 November. The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights most vehemently condemns the inapt reaction by the police to the incident, encouraging the most extremist segments of society and endangering fundamental human rights and academic freedoms.The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia did not consider it necessary to inform the public of the event or state whether they intended to undertake any action with regards to the incidents although twelve hours have passed since the incident.
The wave of violence by neo-Nazi groups at sports matches, concerts and other public performances, which did not spare even the university yesterday, forewarns of the serious and alarming danger of society’s degeneration and re-emergence of the vilest ideologies of the past.
The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights is of the opinion that the state is doing nothing to forestall and prevent such excesses, which threaten to turn into organised violence against the minorities, Roma, NGOs and all free-thinking people.
It would be scandalous to allow Fascism to become an attractive idea amongst the youth and a country that had sustained so many victims in fighting that very Fascism only sixty years ago to become its breeding ground.
The Belgrade Centre warns that these phenomena can be halted only through an organised campaign by all state and educational institutions, civil society and aware citizens. Or our society will again be forced to relive the horrible experiences of our recent past.
