Serbia: Student beats up law professor and security guard

Third-year student at the Faculty of Law in Belgrade, Mihajlo Sekulić, beat up Professor of Law of Obligations Marija Karanikić Mirić and a security guard at the faculty in their office today, it was confirmed to the Beta News Agency at the faculty.

"Senior student Mihajlo Sekulić, who enrolled in the faculty in 2015, today beat up professor of the law of obligations Marija Karanikić Mirić and a security guard. The student hit the professor on the nose, while he hit the guard several times. The students present overpowered the attacker and called the police. The professor and the guard were urgently transferred to the Emergency Center. Traces of blood remained in front of the office," eyewitnesses of the unfortunate event told Beta.

The physical attack, they said, was preceded by the arrogant behavior of student Sekulić, who came to the faculty to get a signature to certify the semester.

"In front of Professor Karanikić Mirić's office, students were waiting in line to get their signatures. However, Sekulić entered the office across the line and started shouting at the professor and throwing things off her desk. The professor called security for help, and when a guard arrived in front of the office, student Sekulić punched him several times, and then hit the professor in the head. Other students surrounded the violent colleague until the police arrived," Beta was told at the Faculty of Law.

Professor Marija Karanikić Mirić and the security guard were taken to the Emergency Center by ambulance, while the police detained the violent student.

Rector's Board: Attack is a consequence of a media campaign against the University

The extended rector's board of the University of Belgrade assessed that the attack on a professor at the Faculty of Law and a security guard was a direct consequence of illegal pressure and a months-long media campaign against the University of Belgrade.

In a statement, they "strongly condemned the senseless physical attack on a member of the Senate, president of the Council of Groups and professor at the Faculty of Law Marija Karanikić Mirić and a security guard at the Faculty of Law Aleksandar Vovčuk."

They asked everyone speaking in public "to immediately cease aggressive rhetoric towards the University of Belgrade, its employees and students."

They have asked state authorities "to prosecute the attacker as soon as possible," according to a statement published on the University's website.

Police have identified a student suspected of attacking a professor and a security guard at the Belgrade Faculty of Law this morning, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) announced earlier.

The Ministry of Interior statement added that the Faculty of Law in Belgrade is under lockdown, and that entry is being controlled by student security guards.

"Work is underway to determine all the facts and circumstances surrounding this event," the statement reads.

The students in the blockade then announced that they had been waiting for the police for 25 minutes after reporting an attack on a law professor.