Serbia’s Interior Minister Ivica Dacic announced that police have arrested 18 individuals involved in the attack on Milos Pavlovic and his colleagues in the Student City area of New Belgrade. He stated that arrests will continue, despite any external pressure on law enforcement.

“Police will keep working to identify everyone responsible for criminal acts and violations of public order. Once identified, appropriate charges will be filed, whether criminal or misdemeanor. Our work is ongoing, and more people will be brought in,” Dacic said, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

He warned that no pressure—regardless of the source—will stop police from doing their duty. “It makes no sense to demand police action when someone is attacked, and then protest when the police respond to an attack on political opponents,” he noted.

“This kind of violence should not happen in Serbia,” Dacic added. “Trying to pressure the police says more about you than about us.”

Initially, the ministry reported that 11 suspects had been arrested, but the number rose to 18 within a few hours. Additionally, two individuals were detained for verbally insulting officers during the protest outside the New Belgrade police station.

“This pressure campaign will not succeed. I strongly advise against it—it will have zero impact on police operations,” Dacic stated earlier, adding that the investigation is ongoing and prosecutors will determine what charges the suspects face.

According to Dacic, police are working late into the night to identify all those involved. Authorities are in possession of footage that suggests the attack was premeditated. “We have a recording where someone says, ‘He’s near the Fountain in Student City. Let’s go there,’ clearly showing this wasn’t spontaneous,” Dacic explained.

The interior minister called for calm, urging the public to respect law and order and ensure the safety of every citizen, regardless of political views or affiliation.