The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) on Wednesday thanked the government of Serbia for condemning antisemitic remarks made during a protest in Belgrade, as further international criticism mounted over the incident.
In a post on X, the RJC said it appreciated Serbia’s response to statements voiced by some participants at a demonstration outside the rectorate building. The group also shared a statement from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which praised Belgrade’s “firm and consistent stance in combating antisemitism.”
The protest, held on Tuesday and organized by students following a police search of university premises, drew strong condemnation after some attendees were heard chanting antisemitic slogans, including calls for violence against Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Jews.
Thousands gathered in central Belgrade to protest the police action, which authorities said was linked to an investigation into a student’s death. University officials, however, accused the government of abusing its powers to suppress student dissent.
Footage from the rally showed a protester shouting “Death to Vučić and the Jews around him,” prompting sharp reactions from Serbian officials and Israeli representatives.
In a joint statement reported by The Jerusalem Post, Israeli lawmaker Boaz Toporovsky, Holocaust historian Efraim Zuroff of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and Serbia’s honorary consul in Israel Aleksandar Nikolić said that “no political motive in the world can justify such calls.”
They described Vučić as a “proven friend” of the Jewish people and the state of Israel, adding that there was no place for such rhetoric, particularly in light of historical memory of the Holocaust.
Serbia’s Minister for European Integration Nemanja Starović condemned the incident, saying he was “particularly appalled” by antisemitic outbursts, including explicit calls for violence against the president and Jews.
He warned that antisemitic ideology had been present within parts of the protest movement for months and urged organisers and supporters to clearly denounce such messages and remove related slogans from university premises.
Israel’s foreign ministry earlier said it “strongly condemns antisemitic calls made in Belgrade,” while welcoming the Serbian government’s swift reaction.
The RJC, a U.S.-based political organization supporting Jewish Republicans with dozens of chapters nationwide, frequently organizes events and advocacy campaigns aimed at strengthening ties between Jewish American communities and the Republican Party.