Product Description
This photograph was taken during the mass protests in Belgrade on March 9, 1991—one of the defining moments of Serbia’s political crisis at the beginning of the 1990s. Following a series of propaganda broadcasts on Belgrade Television, which accused the Serbian opposition of collaborating with extreme pro-Ustaše and pro-fascist forces in Croatia, opposition parties called for a rally at Republic Square.
The main demands of the protest were the resignation of the television director Dušan Mitević and the dismissal of four senior editors of the state broadcaster. What began as a public gathering soon escalated into open clashes between demonstrators and police.
Throughout the day, running battles unfolded across central Belgrade. Police force was used, and the protests descended into urban chaos: several cars were set on fire, shop windows were smashed, and major intersections were blocked. The photograph captures one of the most striking scenes of that day—a lone protester confronting a burning vehicle, a powerful symbol of escalating violence and deep social division.