Today, “Vijesti” journalist Balša Rudović and photojournalist Boris Pejović reported an aggressive incident during the removal of the monument to Pavle Đurišić in Gornji Zaostr. They faced an hour and a half of mental abuse and death threats from an angry crowd, while clergy present did not intervene when called for help.

Pejović mentioned that at the event’s start, clergy from the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) had initially blessed the “Vijesti” and “Pobjeda” teams for their work.

“When the attack happened, I sought assistance from a priest who had earlier blessed our photo and filming efforts. I asked him to help us retrieve our equipment and stop the assault. He replied that the blessing was only for taking photos near the church, while the other priests observed the harassment without taking action,” Pejović recounted.

He noted that the crowd initially prohibited photojournalists from taking pictures, but allowed it after receiving permission from the priest, indicating the priest’s influence over the attendees.

“Thus, we have grounds to suspect that the attacks were conducted with the priests’ consent, who were witnessing the whole event. An important detail is that the same priest who refused to assist us directed us to park above the tent,” he said.

Pejović observed that the journalist teams had been present for three hours at the rally without incident before the attack commenced.

“Today, a hostile crowd of intoxicated individuals assaulted our photojournalists. Stevo Vasiljević was beaten by dozens. After he was rescued from the angry mob by some locals, they managed to either seize or destroy all his equipment. Thankfully, several locals intervened to prevent further violence against him. They mentally harassed Boris Pejović and me for an hour and a half, threatening us with death,” Rudović reported to TV Vijesti.

He added that Pejović had received death threats as well.

“He was also accused of having his equipment stolen. Under duress, they forced us to delete all content from our cameras, directly telling Boris that if any photos related to the monument’s removal were published in Vijesti, they would kill him with their bare hands. Police assured us they would investigate and find those responsible,” Rudović concluded.

Today, Berane police apprehended five individuals suspected of abusing photojournalists in Gornji Zaostar, including Danko Femić from Bijelo Polje, arrested for allegedly endangering security.

The police said they are identifying others involved in the assault and are conducting an intensive search for a person whose identity has been confirmed.

“Vijesti” earlier reported that after a journalist team parked their car above the tent area and began photographing the monument’s removal, several individuals aggressively confronted the photojournalists, threatening them and seizing their equipment.

Following the seizure and subsequent damage to some of Vasiljević’s equipment, he was forcibly taken into a tent where he was beaten and threatened.

Local residents helped him escape from the angry crowd and brought him to the church to speak with an unnamed bishop.

Pejović and Vasiljević were coerced into deleting all material from their cameras, after which Vasiljević was taken away in a Mercedes jeep.

During the entire incident, two plainclothes police officers in a Dacia Duster merely observed the attack on the journalists.

The photojournalists faced repeated death threats while being insulted and referred to as “spies.”

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