The Serbian government faces accusations of using an unlawful ‘sonic weapon’ to disperse protestors in Belgrade.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denied the allegations.

“It is a vile lie,” he said, according to DW.

“I have had the opportunity to see this weapon abroad, and it emits a strong, piercing sound. That sound was not heard on the streets of Belgrade on Saturday night,” he added.

Hundreds of thousands of protestors gathered in Belgrade, demanding accountability stemming from a railway station canopy collapse that killed 15 people.

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Demonstrators blame the tragedy on government corruption, ignoring construction safety regulations, and negligence.

Some estimates put the Belgrade crowd at around 325,000, which would make it Serbia’s largest protest ever.

DW reports:

During a fifteen-minute commemorative silence, eyewitnesses reported hearing a sudden piercing noise, causing the crowd to scatter in a panic.

Speaking to local media, military analyst Aleksandar Radic said the sound must have originated from a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), commonly known as a sonic weapon. The device is “primarily used for incapacitation,” according to Radic.

The Belgrade Center for Security Policy, a Serbian NGO, condemned the government for allegedly using the weapon.

“This act represents a blatant display of force and an attempt to incite chaos, aiming to delegitimize protests and criminalize peaceful citizens,” they said in a statement.

They also noted that use of such a weapon is illegal under Serbian police law.

The protests in Belgrade saw the largest crowds in the nation’s history. Official police estimates count just over 100,000 people, while independent monitors place the total at over 300,000.

Video footage of the massive protest circulated on social media:

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Footage of the alleged use of a ‘sonic weapon’ has also been shared across social media platforms.

WATCH:

“On the 16th of March 2025, Earshot was contacted by activists in Serbia to investigate the potential use of sonic weapons by the government on a crowd of protestors as they were holding a silent vigil for the victims of the Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse,” Earshot, a “not-for-profit organisation producing audio investigations for human rights and environmental advocacy,” stated.

“Earshot received 12 videos that document the moments where a weapon was allegedly used against the protestors. 4 of these videos contain a sound consistent with the noise produced by a Vortex Ring Gun or Vortex Cannon. As this weapon pushes gas out of its cylinder at speeds of 185mph, its expulsion produces a howling noise which has been compared to a jet engine, along with vortex rings that may be ionized. This would create electromagnetic interference with devices such as hearing aids, corroborating reports made by witnesses at the protest,” it continued.

Full text:

On the 16th of March 2025, Earshot was contacted by activists in Serbia to investigate the potential use of sonic weapons by the government on a crowd of protestors as they were holding a silent vigil for the victims of the Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse.

Earshot received 12 videos that document the moments where a weapon was allegedly used against the protestors. 4 of these videos contain a sound consistent with the noise produced by a Vortex Ring Gun or Vortex Cannon.

As this weapon pushes gas out of its cylinder at speeds of 185mph, its expulsion produces a howling noise which has been compared to a jet engine, along with vortex rings that may be ionized. This would create electromagnetic interference with devices such as hearing aids, corroborating reports made by witnesses at the protest.

Should this be the vortex cannon, these recordings would be more than 700m away. At this distance the combustion of the weapon is no longer audible; only the distinct whistling sound of the pressure wave as it travels away from the shooter location and towards the crowd can be heard, causing mass panic.

As Earshot is looking to further investigate this incident, we ask anyone with video footage from that night that captures the specific sound that can be heard in this post to get in touch with us.

From the Associated Press:

Footage from the rally show people standing during 15 minutes of silence for the rail station disaster while suddenly experiencing a whooshing sound that immediately triggered panic and a brief stampede.

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An Associated Press photographer at the scene said people started scrambling for cover, leaving the middle of the downtown street almost empty as they started falling over each other.

Those exposed to the weapon experience sharp ear pain, disorientation and panic, military experts say. Prolonged exposure can cause eardrum ruptures and irreversible hearing damage.

The Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, a non-governmental organization, condemned “the unlawful and inhumane deployment of prohibited weapons, such as acoustic devices, against peaceful protesters.”

“This act represents a blatant display of force and an attempt to incite chaos, aiming to delegitimize protests and criminalize peaceful citizens,” the group said.

Serbian police and the defense ministry denied that the illegal weapon was used.

 

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