Serbian security forces illegally use military-grade acoustic weapons, known as LRADs, on protesters, firing sound beams at targets at volumes of up to 160 decibels



On Saturday, March 15, 2025, a large-scale demonstration took place in Belgrade, the capital of the Republic of Serbia. An estimated 275,000 to 325,000 people, including farmers and veterans, participated in the demonstration, which drew attention for the use of a military-grade acoustic weapon called a LRAD cannon .

Serbia: Protesters flood Belgrade with Vucic under pressure – DW – 03/15/2025
https://www.dw.com/en/serbia-protesters-flood-belgrade-with-vucic-under-pressure/a-71933147



The demonstration in Belgrade on March 15 was led by students to demand an explanation for the collapse of a roof at a train station in Novi Sad, Serbia's second largest city, which killed 15 people and had just been renovated by a Chinese company with ties to Serbia's ruling Progressive Party. Government officials initially claimed that the roof had not been included in the renovation work, but later acknowledged that it had been renovated.

The protesters have accused the government of withholding important documents about the renovation work. The government has insisted that all necessary documents have been made public. News outlet DW reported that 'the protests encompass a range of grievances against the government of Aleksandar Vucic, including corruption, nepotism, mismanagement of natural resources, vote-rigging, media censorship, and a confused response to past deadly incidents linked to government officials.'

President Vucic said 56 people were injured during the protests and 22 were arrested on suspicion of vandalism or assault, but no injuries were life-threatening. The Serbian Interior Ministry estimated that about 107,000 people participated in the protests, but some independent media outlets have reported higher figures, with some reporting it as 'the largest protest in Belgrade's history.'

Arhiv Javnih Skupova, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that counts the number of people participating in the demonstrations held in Serbia, estimates the number of participants to be between 275,000 and 325,000. Arhiv Javnih Skupova also took aerial photos of the crowds at the time of the demonstration and posted them on X (formerly Twitter).




During a 15-minute silence held in memory of the 15 victims of the roof collapse in Novi Sad, protesters were temporarily evacuated from the streets after loud, inexplicable sounds like 'flying bullets' and a 'crashing plane' were heard.

The source of the sound was unknown, but Serbian cable news channel N1 quoted military analyst Aleksandar Radić as saying it was 'sonic weaponry.' Radić said the sound weapon was owned by Serbian security forces. Opposition lawmakers also said the source of the noise was 'sonic weaponry owned by security forces.'

Protesters captured the moment the sonic weapon was deployed on video. Eastern Europe's largest media outlet, NEXTA , reported, 'Serbian security forces have illegally used military-grade sonic weapons against protesters in Belgrade. Police deployed LRAD cannons, sonic weapons that fire sound 'beams' at targets at volumes of up to 160 decibels. Victims experience sharp ear pain, disorientation and panic. Prolonged exposure can rupture eardrums and cause irreversible hearing loss.'




Several other videos have also been released that show the exact moment the LRAD gun is used.




Another photo taken from a different angle.




A compilation of multiple videos capturing the exact moment a sonic weapon was used.

Sonic Weapon Causes Near Stampede in Serbia's Peaceful Protest - YouTube


However, Serbian police have denied using sonic weapons, noting that their use is 'against the law.'

On the social news site Hacker News , 'The Serbian government purchased LRAD cannons in 2022, likely from Genasys or HyperSpike. LRAD cannons are a legally gray area weapon that is not explicitly prohibited from being used against civilians, so the government used them in a casual manner to suppress demonstrations. While this is better than the military shooting people, it is surprising that this happened in a country that is supposed to be modern and civilized.'

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force also possesses the same LRAD cannon, but its intended use is to 'make directional calls to ships and other vessels on the open sea.'


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