Four young men of Serbian ethnicity were arrested late last night in North Mitrovica for allegedly insulting and assaulting two police officers, according to the Kosovo Police (KP). While police claim the suspects resisted arrest, some citizens, as well as the parents of the arrested, who gathered outside the police station, accuse the authorities of using excessive force and brutality during the arrest. The incident has sparked controversy, with videos circulating online showing portions of the event. Police deny the allegations of misconduct but emphasize that force is permitted when suspects resist or flee.
The incident occurred shortly after midnight, when several young men reportedly verbally assaulted two officers on a city promenade before physically attacking them, according to KP spokesperson Petrit Fejza. The young men then fled the scene, prompting a search by local police, who apprehended them on Knjaza Miloša Street. One of the officers sustained minor injuries during the altercation.
Following their arrest, the men, identified as R.N. (2004), L.K. (2005), V.J. (2003), and M.M. (2005), along with the injured officer, were taken for medical examination. Fejza confirmed that the three suspects were found to be under the influence of alcohol and were subsequently detained for up to 48 hours.
„Because they were intoxicated, they were unable to provide statements last night. Their statements will be taken today, after which the next steps will be determined,“ Fejza told KoSSev.
Amid the widespread circulation of arrest footage on social media, several citizens have claimed that the police used excessive force, with allegations that the men were beaten both before and during their detention. When questioned about this, Fejza emphasized that the medical examination was a routine procedure and denied the accusations of police brutality.
„If someone resists arrest or tries to escape, the police have the right to use force. In the videos, it’s clear that no one is being beaten; rather, the suspects were resisting arrest,“ Fejza said.
The four young men are currently being held in the police station in South Mitrovica.
Meanwhile, their parents have gathered outside the police station in North Mitrovica, seeking information about their children, who they say were transferred to the southern part of the city. They have already hired legal counsel and are calling for the immediate release of their sons, believing that the police response was disproportionate.
Srdjan Jović, the father of one of the detained men, expressed his concern over what he described as a „brutal beating“ during the arrest.
„It’s difficult to believe. This was brutal beating of the children. I haven’t seen my son, but I’ve been told he’s being held in the southern part of the city. This was too much force for just a verbal altercation,“ Jović said in an interview with KoSSev.
He, along with other parents, is now waiting for a decision from the public prosecutor, hoping for their children’s release.
„We will do everything we can to get them freed,“ Jović added, expressing hope that the young men are not being mistreated while in custody.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
