Hooded groups gather in Pionirski Park in Belgrade ahead of ballot closure

Groups of mostly hooded men gathered on the evening of October 25, 2026, in Pionirski Park in Belgrade, prompting a visible reinforcement of police and gendarmerie units around the site, witnesses and social media posts show.

Increased police presence and tents inside fenced area

Police allowed some people through barricades and tents were reportedly being reinstalled inside the fenced-off section of the park. Armoured crowd-control vehicles and additional patrols were also observed near central Belgrade locations, including close to the Republic Election Commission building.

The account associated with the student movement "Studenti_u_blokadi" published a message urging citizens not to gather near locations where police or plainclothed individuals were concentrated. The group wrote: "We call on all citizens of Belgrade not to gather near places where increased police presence and plainclothed persons have been noticed. Safe, peaceful and dignified until the end."

At a 19:00 press briefing the Republic Election Commission reported that, by 18:00 on October 25, 2026, 64.89 percent of registered voters had cast their ballots in the early parliamentary elections. The commission described election day as generally calm, with only minor irregularities.

When asked about attacks on journalists and other incidents reported by media and the observer organization CRTA, RIK president Vladimir Dimitrijević said those events occurred outside polling stations and are matters for the interior ministry and prosecutors. He also said metal fences and the heightened security were the result of a police assessment.

Authorities had not immediately provided further details about the identity or intentions of the hooded groups observed in Pionirski Park. Journalists on the ground and monitoring organisations continued to follow developments as polling stations approached closing time.

Photo: Printskrin