The acting mayor of Belgrade, Aleksandar Sapic, said that the damage to the Assembly building was irreparable and described what was happening in the Serbian capital as Maidanization.
"I used to say that if we allow ourselves to fight for political goals through violence and the overthrow of the state, we will soon have no state. Now you can see how true the term 'Maidanization' was," Sapic told reporters.
According to the mayor, if people want to come to power "through anarchy," they are trying to "destroy the state," because it will not be able to protect them in the future.
The acting mayor noted that the assembly building is protected by the state. It was built in 1881 and has original furniture from the 19th century. Sapic released photos showing damaged office equipment, furniture, broken windows, scattered rocks, and garbage.
Rallies have been held since December 18 by the opposition bloc Serbia Against Violence, which disagrees with the outcome of the recent elections. On the evening of December 24, demonstrators tried to break into the city hall building, using flagpoles to break the door and smash windows.
Police officers inside the building covered the broken doors and windows with shields and used tear gas. Law enforcement managed to disperse the demonstrators and seal off the building. Two police officers were seriously injured and 35 people were arrested.