More than half a million people have signed an online petition calling for an independent investigation into whether security forces in Serbia used a sonic weapon – what the petition described as a “sound cannon” – during Saturday’s huge anti-corruption rally.
Days after as many as 325,000 people took to the streets of Belgrade, rights groups and opposition parties continue to allege that protesters were targeted with some sort of auditory device that briefly sowed panic and left some with symptoms that lingered long after the rally.
Serbian politicians and police have denied the allegations. Earlier this week, the country’s increasingly autocratic president, Aleksandar Vučić, described the claim as a “wicked lie” that was aimed at “destroying Serbia”.
Watch the videos of this, it’s wild. Especially as the protest was absolutely calm at that point. Can see it move through the crowd.
What is it? high frequency blasting or what?
I don’t think any of the videos faithfully recreate what people heard, but in the ones I saw, there was a noise like an enormous airplane about to crash right on the site. A tremendous crescendoing whooshing scream. Everybody freaked out, ducked, and ran up against the buildings for cover. Many seemed to think some kind of vehicle was coming down the street toward them. It was insane.
I wonder if people would still react to it the second time now that they know what it is.
It seems important to note that government thugs were committing terror attacks driving cars into the crowds.
This is technology under capitalism. We’ll have endless bombs and weapons as the planet burns.
Einstein: “E = mc^2! We can power our shit cleanly for cheap for thousands of years!”
Humans: “Hehehehe critical mass go boom!”
This is super old technology. I remember reading about it decades ago. I have no idea why the Grauniad insists on writing about it like it’s a ghost sighting.
‘Some sort of device’, quotes around “sound cannon”, other examples. This is like
Witnesses described ‘some sort of smoke device’ that created apparent eye irritation - what the petition called a “tear gas grenade”
It’s because it’s not really used that often afaik
Im surprised sound weapons aren’t used more often. It’s crazy effective on people. Just watching the video in the article shows how impressive it can be.
It’s only crazy effective if it’s not expected. If it becomes the norm then everyone just starts wearing foam ear plugs, maybe ear defenders if they’re fancy.
It’s easily defeated and incites the wrath of the populace. It’s dumb to use, especially during a moment of silence for the dead.
Because if people, especially in Serbia, feel like their right to protest is being taken away, they’ll go home and break out the AKs.
Is that what happened after this?
No, because the government immediately retreated from its position and it’s a minor scandal that tgis was used in the first place.
On the other hand, the organizers are keeping protests peaceful to make sure Vucic has no pretext for violence.
But if Vucic shot first, you can be sure that the crowd has people who would shoot back, and Vucic would get flayed alive. And I’m not exaggerating.
Think of the poor Americans that could be eating those affordable eggs!
Hey, not our fault they stockpiled the wrong flavor of ammo!
I don’t use Meta products, sorry.
I’ll pass it on to the protesters, I’m sure they’ll be moved by your plight.
Use a different video service and I’ll look at it.
Didn’t take it personally when someone doesn’t use a facebook program lol
Yeah but you could also end up with 300,000 crushed people if you treat a crowd like this.
Sure and army squadrons hopped up on meth can wipe out an entire square full of unarmed protesters in no time.
last I heard there were some protestors who complained of a burning sensation on their skin.
that would make this a different weapon entirely that presumably uses microwaves.
