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The US embassy in Belgrade was in flames tonight as a huge anti-Kosovo independence rally turned violent.
As many as 200,000 Serbs gathered in central Belgrade before a group of masked protesters broke into the embassy compound, ripped down an American flag and set fire to the ground floor and a side building.
Armoured vehicles fired tear gas to disperse crowds who were furious that the US and many EU countries have recognised Kosovo’s unilateral decision to breakaway from Serbia.
Attention switched to the unguarded US embassy, which has been closed this week, following a rally lead by the Serbian Prime Minister in the capital.
“As long as we live, Kosovo is Serbia,” Vojislav Kostunica told the crowd in front of the old Yugoslav parliament building.
“We’re not alone in our fight. President Putin is with us,” the Prime Minister said, paying tribute to the Russian leader who has opposed US and European states’ recognition of Kosovo.
“We’ll never give up Kosovo, never!” protesters chanted back, as they waved national flags. A huge banner reading “Kosovo is Serbia” draped the front of the parliament building.
A few people waved the flags of Russia and of Spain, which also refused to recognise Pristina’s secession on Sunday.
Police estimated 150,000 people packed the square, with columns of at least 10,000 more demonstrators filling up nearby boulevards. Eye witnesses reported big crowds elsewhere in the city.
The rally was Serbia’s biggest since protesters gathered outside the same parliament building to oust nationalist autocrat Slobodan Milosevic in October 2000.
In the crowds were many hard-line football hooligans and nationalist Radicals from Serbia’s biggest party, who shouted anti-Albanian slogans.
“Today Kosovo is in all our hearts,” their leader Tomislav Nikolic told the rally.
The rally came as several hundred former Serbian army reservists stormed a crossing post on the border with Kosovo. New border posts have come under sustained attack and been set alight since Pristina’s announcement at the weekend.
Italy today became the latest country to recognise the independence of the breakaway Serbian province.
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what a serb genocide?people did you normal?
serbia never have genoide on kosovo,where is prove?
only usa-albanian propaganda.
genocide on kosovo been on serbian people only,yet from 1941 and today.
serbs never killing albanians,stop with lies.
never been genocide on kosovo on albanians.
chek on int
voyo, beograd, serbia
I read some of the comments and I see lots of angry Serbs moaning with anger and saying that Kosovo is still their's. This nation has killed hundreds and thousands of innocent, women and children. How many more do they want, so that this Kosovo of ours can live in Peace?
Genti, Sussex, UK
Serbs do have an excuse - Americans bombed them for over month not too long ago. It is understandable they did not forget. Russia was a weak country back then - the US was not afraid. Now Russia is stronger, would not let the US to bomb white Belgrad again.
Alla, St Petersburg, Russia
What SAD wants.....people don't be naive...
http://hannah.smith-family.com/archive/000959.html
Beba, Montreal, Canada
Dear Alice Adam...
You don't know anything about Serbia.
You'll see very soon what is Kosovo.
Thanks to all people who understand the situation in my homeland.
Zoran, Novi Sad, Srbija
Oh Aldran,
from your comment regarding my "hearing" I recognize , well shall I say a "bit" of true democratic oppinion. But ... there is always a "but" , I never mentioned Kosovo in my comment. I commented riots in Belgrade. I really don't see how it concerns you. Don't blame yourself.
Bojana, Belgrade, Serbia
No Bojana, you've heard it right about International Law.
One of the problems you're having now is that during the times of massacres committed by your Zeljko Raznatovic & Co. and biblical ethnic cleansing in 1999, you didn't know it even existed.
Do you have a clear read now?
Aldrahn, Tirana,
Have I heard properly US ambassador in the UN " We are shocked with riots in Belgrade. USA demmand that Serbs must respect INTERNATIONAL LAW" Or I haven't heard properly?!
Bojana, Belgrade, Serbia
It is of course sad to see this type behaviour ambeit from a few angry serbs, but I agree is this not inevtiable given the illegal declaration by Kosovo on Sunday. I am frankly surprised that the Serbs have remained so calm and I believe there must be intense and deep anger from their nation at this ridiculous notion that Kosovo can declare itself an independant nation when we all know that is will never be able to support itself firstly, without the Serbian Social/Medical/Economic infrastructure to support it and secondly without the EU forever funding this new muslim state in Europe! Well done US/EU you really have not thought this one through have you and if you now cannot properly defend the Serbs in Kosovo then YOU/WE will have blood on our hands YET AGAIN!!!
I hope that the serbs can find a way to unite as a nation, continue towards their democratic ambition and forgive the west for our shortsightedness.
Luke , Reading, UK
Indonesians overwhelmingly massively condemn these Albanian and Kosovo Islamic terrorists and traitorous US funded seditionistas.
We Indonesians fully support Russia and Serbia in the legal struggle to preserve the sanctity of national sovereignty.
The world's most populous Muslim nation is 100% behind you, Serbia. Viva Serbia!
Purba, Jakarta, Indonesia
I can notice that everyone in west seems to think that this is just a temporary situation in Serbia and that people will eventually accept Kosovo as a separate state. Let me put you in serbian perspective - this is the same as someone would expect you to recognise Hitler's germany today. This is not possible. Kosovo is worth more than any EU membership, NATO or any other organisation. There is absolutely nothing that you can offer us in substitute. And this is the feeling of the vast majority. Do not be fooled by the statements of the serbian officials - they are politicians and they say what they're expected to. There will never be peace in this region until Kosovo is under serbian control again. Time is of no importance - we can wait as long as it takes.
Aleksandar, Belgrade, Serbia
Such a behavior is not a surprise to all of us. We are glad that American embassy was set on fire, because of the great rage that unfilled Serbian hearts. Kosovo and Metohia is really the very heart of Serbian state, religion and mythology. Partition of Kosovo has been a plan of USA in order to demolish first Yugoslavia, then Serbia and Montenegro and, at the end, Serbia. Not to give historical lectures right now, but Serbs were the main nation and the nation who gave independence to all other nations from the beginning of the World War the First.
Not to forget is the fact that Serbia was recognized in all diplomatic circles as "Little Noble Serbia".
We honestly think that many nations in the world know why American embassy is burning.
Faculty of Political Sciences
Nemanja, Belgrade, Serbia
Free Kosovo! Finally! The Serbian government and paramilitary and Chetniks have done enough damage and caused enough suffering in the Balkans. It's time to let go. Everyone's time comes. Justice is great. Cheers!
Ann E. Mall, NYC, USA
I must agree with Sam from Birmingham, there is too much interferance from other countries splitting a country and deciding who should have what by outsiders it just creates more trouble for the indigenous population. I wonder how long it will be before they start splitting up England.
christine marshall , cambridge, England
We´ll be back!
zelenizub, new york, new york
Vladimir, why are you in London if you don't like capitalism?
Kosta, Albany, USA
The US is not alone in supporting Kosovan independence, and is morally right to do so.
Serbia lost any moral authority it had to govern Kosovo when it brutally massacred thousands of civilians.
The knee-jerk reaction to blame the US for all of the ills of the world is petty and harmful. The Kosovan people deserve protection and self-determination no less than the rest of us.
Alice Adam, London, UK
350 000 Serbs protested peacefully.
Somebody organised those 200 people to destroy US embassy. That man wants to destroy Serbia and probobly start a war. I am sure that president Tadic will not let these things happen.
Ivana, Belgrade, Serbia
All the comments are funny to me. Please accept the reality and live your life in your country Serbia. Kosovo is independent, stop beaching and crying. It is over.
KLA, Ferizaj , KOSOVO
The violence is entirely predictable and the anger behind it not without justification. After all if Serbia were to act illegally, attempt to create a new country within the USA's borders, and hand it over to enemies of the USA, how would the Americans react? Not too hard to guess the answer...
w, UK,
US get what they want, EU has a problem now and EU will spend tonnes of money in Kosovo, more problems EU will have in Europe, better for the US. It's simple! Wait for US military base in Kosovo !
Gosha, Woshobkom ,
I think it is disgusting how the UK, EU and USA has caved in to muslim violence and stolen land from Serbia to invent a country for the violent Albanians living in Serbia. The same thing happened before when the British invented Pakistan to please violent Muslims demanding independance in India.Even more disgusting is how the Serb leader Slobodan was sent to the Hague for war crimes whilst the leader of the KLA (who have been responsible for just as many if not more attrocities) has been given a country to rule.
I sympathies go out to the Serbs.
sam, birmingham, west midlands
Why are so many against a people group having independence and self rule? Borders were drawn by exiting powers that had occuppied territories during time of war or by conquering armies. If Albanians want freedom from Serbs who were executing them only a decade ago, let them. If Kurds want a home land let them. If the majority of Basques want independence let them. If south ossetia and chechans want independence let them. Why does the world favor forced submission on these?
Yuri Antonio, Sevilla,
I totally agree with the Serbian stance.Kosvo is to Serbia what Yorkshire is to England. I just see this as another Muslim show of aggresion. There are a lot of people over here whos sympathy is with the Serbs and their Goverment dont speak for them.The next thing will be the Albanians immigrants who are moving to Greece in their thousands wll start stirring it up over there.
Michael Campbell , londonderry, n ireland
U.S. like Romans, they would like to conquer the whole world. And don't make me laugh that they are really care about democracy and human rights! There are a lot of facts to destroy this fable. In this way Albanians in Kosovo are only plaything.
Oleg, St. Petersburg, Russia
Why the surprise? Was this not perfectly predictable? Not everyone agrees with the morally reprihensible quick fix partition of Kosovo. I expect the UN will now act quickly to give Kosovan Serbs in the north their rightfull independence in a second Kosovo state in the north of the 1st Kosovo state? No? Why not? Whats different this time around? Or do they just have one rule for Albanians and one rule for the Serbs? This is a disgusting way to treat the Serb minority.
Lukas Tatek, Herts., UK
Its funny that USA wants a condemnation from UN Security council after it spit on the international law so many times. US government is responsible for deaths of thousands of serbians and destroyed orthodox churches and now they say that burning embassies is bad...
Pc, Moscow,
You may have missed the irony, but these Serbian intelligensia set fire to the consulate section - the very place a Serb must visit should he require a visa to get out of that seething nest of bigotry, and visit what is the heart of democracy.
Steve, Cambridge,
Congratualtions to the demonstrators. The Americans will now reap what they have sown in the Balkans just as they did in Vietnam and Iraq. Not all of the world is interested in your "model" of democracy or your junk capitalism. Kosovo will remain Serbian forever. No compromises, no surrender. We will not be bribed with the offer of EU membership either.
Vladimir, London, England
Why is it so that whenever the US shows up to "bring democracy," violence always and inevitably follows and dictators arise and freedoms vanish? Can't we see a pattern here?
Laurel700, Toulouse, France
While the violence is not an answer to USA sponsored dismemberment of Serbia, you cannot expect people in Serbia just watch how USA sides with Albanian terrorists!
Serbs saved over 500 USA pilots during WWII, paying dearly for that by hands of Nazis. Is this the way USA pays back to grandchildren? SHAME YOU USA POLITICIANS!
fleka sh, Vancouver, Canada
How do you know there were football hooligans among protesting crowds? You call them like this because they are against the USA?
Lolektyrmand, Warsaw, Poland
I am not approving any kind of violence, the burning down of the American ambassy is simple wrong and its distract the point from many more important issues.
Couple of days ago we heard that the independence of Kosovo will bring peace and prosperity to the region. What a cynicism. Yesterday, because of the old dispute young Macedonians stoned the Greek ambassy in Skopje, formal imperial power Turkey regonize independence of Kosovo, while Romania, Greece and Bulgaria oppose that. And above all, Slovenian goverment feuded with the Serbian over Kosovo independence thus treat to break fragile economy of ex-Yugoslav realm.
Finally, let us stop to use double standard vocabulary. Albanians from Kosovo with the flags of the neighburing country Albania is patriot. The British soldier in Iraq is patriot too. But the Serbs who SAY and gather to protest the highjack of their territory are hard-line nationalist ! This overpresent pressure in last 17 years brought the rise of anti-US feeling.
Uros, London, United Kingdom