RIOT police forced opposition demonstrators off Belgrade's streets yesterday, as the Serbian government cracked down on more than five weeks of protests against President Slobodan Milosevic.
A spokeswoman for the Zajedno (Together) opposition parties said the coalition feared its three main leaders were about to be arrested as Mr Milosevic appeared to lose patience with the disruption of the capital for at least six hours a day.
Thousands of police in riot gear swamped central Belgrade to enforce an interior ministry ban on marches by Zajedno and students against election fraud by the ruling Socialist Party.
They ignored a march through snowy streets by 5,000 students but were firm with around 30,000 Zajedno activists blocking a main street under the windows of the opposition headquarters.
They forced the demonstrators into a pedestrian area, butting those who resisted with their shields and hitting them with batons but without severe force.
The three Zajedno leaders said to be threatened with arrest Mr Zoran Djindjic, Mr Vuk Draskovic and Mr Vesna Pesic addressed the demonstrators.
The police movements themselves caused traffic chaos and blocked river and motorway bridges on which the city relies.
The US and other western governments have warned Mr Milosevic that he risks economic reprisals and continued international isolation if he uses violence to restore order.
He rejected a request for an emergency meeting from the US charge d'affaires, Mr Richard Miles, who saw the foreign minister, Mr Milan Milutinovic, instead.
At least 58 people were injured in fighting between police, opposition and SPS supporters on Tuesday when Mr Milosevic held a counter-rally outside the Zajedno offices which flopped.
A man claimed by his family to have been an opposition demonstrator injured in the clashes died in hospital on Christmas Eve, his doctor said.
Mr Draskovic, commenting on the ban on marching, said any violence would be Mr Milosevic's fault.
Russia, traditionally more sympathetic to Serbia than the west has warned against outside any interference in Belgrade's current political turmoil.
The anti-government protests began after Mr Milosevic refused to accept a series of opposition victories in local elections on November 17th.
The US yesterday condemned the Serbian crackdown on antigovernment protesters and said it was continuing to hold Mr Milosevic responsible for any resultant violence.
"We repeat our call on the Serbian authorities to show restraint and to not interfere with the protesters' democratic rights," a State Department spokesman said.
Den is Staunton adds:
The German Foreign Minister, Mr Klaus Kinkel, warned Mr Milosevic yesterday that the world would not stand by if he banned opposition political rallies in Belgrade on the spurious grounds they were blocking traffic.
"President Milosevic has to be aware of the fact that the world is keeping its eyes on Belgrade. He should keep his hands off the demonstrator's rights and their freedom to congregate. A further escalation won't he tolerated," he said.
He added that any attempt to stop the rallies would set back Yugoslavia's hopes of integrating with Europe and hinted that economic sanctions against Belgrade could be restored.
"The freedom to gather and the freedom to speak, along with pluralism and the freedom of the press, are the cornerstones of every democratic society. Anyone who tries to place limits on democratic freedoms will have to face the consequences," he said.