Belgrade, Serbia

Guest Post: Report From Anti-Fascist Rally in Novi Sad

Published: October 10, 2007

By Andrea Gregory
A sea of people filled the center of Novi Sad. Their signs were different. Their flags were different. But on this day, their cause was the same. Speakers talked about the dangers of fascism, problems with in the government that could lead to fascist thinking and that here, in the center of Novi Sad, the streets are meant for music, lovers and children playing, not a neo-Nazi rally. We all knew the neo-Nazi rally had been banned. Still it felt like we were waiting for them to show up. During the second or third speaker, the chanting of a neo-Nazi or fascist group could be heard. A whisper spread through the crowd, letting everyone know we had company. I stood on my tiptoes but couldn’t see above the people and flags and signs against fascism. Some of us were feminists, some of us were politicians, some of us were anarchists, communist, EU supporters and EU opponents. There were many differences between the groups that gathered for the anti-fascism rally, and on another day these groups would likely battle each other over different issues.

The rally ended with a march down to the Danube River. On the last stretch, there was a group of nationalists. They chanted “Serbia, Serbia.” They were in a park that dropped a few feet below the street. There was also a fence and a line of police in riot gear separating us from them or them from us. I could see their flag and watched them run toward the border prepared to fight, yell, make things messy. Some of the anarchist marching along side us yelled back at them. I don’t speak Serbian. I couldn’t follow the dialog. A woman close to me held her two middle fingers high in the air.

I was somewhere in the middle of the march. There was a building on one side and fascists on the other. The street began to feel narrow. I could see sticks and rocks flying in the air. Then there was a cloud of teargas. I had never tasted teargas. The smell of it instantly tickled my throat and made my chest feel tight. My heartbeat quickened. I grabbed the hand of the woman who had stood by me to translate the speeches. She has been an activist since the early 90s. We quickly made our way out of the mass of people.

I could see the river. I could see the police running in a line to enter the park and make arrests. I could see all the flags and banners, calling for an end to fascism in a parade of unity that seemed to stretch on forever. Parade of unity? Maybe I wanted to see it that way or needed to on this day.

all photos by Nadja Duhacek

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