SNS rally Užice — Allegations of heavy-handed tactics by police and party security surrounded a political rally in Užice, western Serbia, on August 29, 2026, as Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) leader Aleksandar Vučić visited the city. Prof. Dr. Duško Kuzović, a founder of the Sabornik movement and long-time Užice resident, claimed in an interview with Srbin.info that snipers were positioned on rooftops and that police used tear gas and cordons to disperse local residents.

Kuzović described the city as resembling a “besieged town” for hours, with the central Partisan Square closed off, cafes forced to shut, and SNS supporters and security brought in from other areas. According to Kuzović, party security guards—described as “muscular and tattooed”—attacked a local man who refused to leave a cafe. Video footage published by Srbin.info showed more than ten individuals beating the man, with police reportedly only intervening after inspectors arrived.

Violence and Accusations of Outside Involvement

Student groups later stated that the assaulted man suffered serious injuries and received first aid from friends. Witnesses identified Dragan Lazić, described as a “local thug from Bajina Bašta” (a town in western Serbia), among the attackers. The incident, widely circulated on social media, fueled accusations that SNS had brought in enforcers from outside Užice to control the event and intimidate dissenters.

After the SNS rally, tensions remained high. Police separated government supporters from critical citizens, while insults, bottles, and stones were reportedly thrown toward buses carrying SNS attendees. Kuzović characterized the group attack as a “major own goal” for Vučić’s supporters, arguing that such violence exposes the nature of the system organizing these rallies.

Kuzović also alleged that days before the rally, local businesses were ordered to close their shutters and that large amounts of equipment were brought in, likening the preparations to a major concert. He criticized promises made by Vučić during the rally—including a tunnel, a clinical center, and a humanoid robot factory—as attempts to buy votes, suggesting that in a well-functioning state, such conditional promises would be subject to criminal investigation.

The events in Užice have sparked debate about the use of force and political pressure in Serbia, with opposition voices warning of escalating tensions and the erosion of democratic norms in the region.