Srebrenica Massacre Memorial Event Sees Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic Attacked | HuffPost

Serbian Prime Minister Attacked During Srebrenica Massacre Commemoration

Sarah Ann Harris— The Huffington Post UK/AP

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Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic was attacked during an event commemorating the Srebrenica slaughter 20 years.

As Vucic entered the cemetery to lay flowers, thousands booed and whistled.

A group of women from Belgrade, who for years have demanding Serbia to admit its role in the slaughter, yelled "responsibility!" and "genocide!"

He was pelted with with stones, water bottles, a shoe and other objects during the memorial event and was hurried back to his vehicle by bodyguards.

Vucic's associate, Suzana Vasiljevic, told The Associated Press that he was hit in the face with a stone and his glasses were broken. Vasiljevic said she was behind Vucic when "masses broke the fences and turned against us."

SEE ALSO:
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ON THE BLOG: Remember Srebrenica? Maybe We All Should

Vucic, once an ultra-nationalist, came to represent his country at the commemoration in an apparent gesture of reconciliation.

Tens of thousands came to mark the 20th anniversary of Europe's worst massacre since the Holocaust - the slaughter of 8,000 Muslims from the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica at the hands of Bosnian Serbs - with foreign dignitaries urging the international community not to allow such atrocities to happen again and to call the crime genocide.

Serbia and Bosnian Serbs deny the killings were genocide and claim that the death toll has been exaggerated.

According to the BBC, Russia vetoed a UN resolution to label the massacre as genocide earlier this week.

The Bosnian War, which took place between April 1992 and December 1995, was part of the break-up of Yugoslavia.

It saw Bosnian Serbs (backed by Serbia) clash with the Muslim-led Bosnian government.

Serbian PM attacked at Srebrenica massacre commemorations

(01 of19)

Members of the Serbian delegation, including Serbia's Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, flee from the baying crowd during a scuffle at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Vucic and his delegation was forced to flee after hundreds of people that gathered to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre hurled stones, water bottles and insults at him.(AP Photo/Amel Emric) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(02 of19)

People carry coffins of victims of the Srebrenica massacre at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Tens of thousands came to mark the 20th anniversary of Europe's worst massacre since the Holocaust, the slaughter of 8,000 Muslims from the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica, with foreign dignitaries urging the international community not to allow such atrocities to happen again and to call the crime âgenocide.â (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(03 of19)

Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia's prime minister, center left under umbrella, is seen during a scuffle at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Anger boiled over Saturday at a massive commemoration of the Srebrenica slaughter 20 years ago as people pelted Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic with water bottles and other objects. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(04 of19)

Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia's prime minister, center, is seen during a scuffle at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Vucic was forced to flee after hundreds of people that gathered to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre hurled stones, water bottles and insults at him. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(05 of19)

Thousands of people gather at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Tens of thousands came to mark the 20th anniversary of Europe's worst massacre since the Holocaust, the slaughter of 8,000 Muslims from the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica, with foreign dignitaries urging the international community not to allow such atrocities to happen again and to call the crime âgenocide.â (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(06 of19)

A woman weeps as she visits the grave of a family member at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers (94 miles) northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Twenty years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide, and newly identified victims of the genocide are still being re-interred at Srebrenica. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(07 of19)

A woman cries as she visits the grave of a family member at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers (94 miles) northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Twenty years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide, and newly identified victims of the genocide are still being re-interred at Srebrenica. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(08 of19)

A woman weeps as she visits the grave of a family member at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers (94 miles) northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Twenty years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide, and newly identified victims of the genocide are still being re-interred at Srebrenica. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(09 of19)

Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia's Prime Minister, center left wearing glasses, is seen during a scuffle at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Vucic was forced to flee after hundreds of people that gathered to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre hurled stones, water bottles and insults at him. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(10 of19)

A woman prays amid tomb stones at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers (94 miles) northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Twenty years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide, and newly identified victims of the genocide are still being re-interred at Srebrenica. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(11 of19)

A woman sits draped with the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers (94 miles) northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Twenty years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide, and newly identified victims of the genocide are still being re-interred at Srebrenica. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(12 of19)

Bosnian woman watch gravestones as they search for their relative during funeral ceremony for 136 victims at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers (94 miles) northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Twenty years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide, and newly identified victims of the genocide are still being re-interred at Srebrenica.(AP Photo/Amel Emric) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(13 of19)

Gravestones are seen at sunrise at a memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers (94 miles) northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Twenty years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide, and newly identified victims of the genocide are still being re-interred at Srebrenica.(AP Photo/Amel Emric) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(14 of19)

Bosnian women pass gravestones as they search for their relative during the funeral ceremony for 136 victims at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers (94 miles) northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Twenty years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide, and newly identified victims of the genocide are still being re-interred at Srebrenica.(AP Photo/Amel Emric) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(15 of19)

A Bosnian worker passes among coffins decorated with Bosnian wartime flags during a funeral ceremony for the 136 victims at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers (94 miles) northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Twenty years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide, and newly identified victims of the genocide are still being re-interred at Srebrenica. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(16 of19)

A woman cries as she visits the grave of a family member at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers (94 miles) northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Twenty years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide, and newly identified victims of the genocide are still being re-interred at Srebrenica. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(17 of19)

Bosnian women pass gravestones as they searching for their relatives during a funeral ceremony for the 136 victims at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers (94 miles) northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Twenty years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide, and newly identified victims of the genocide are still being re-interred at Srebrenica. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(18 of19)

Bosnian woman prays next to a coffin containing the remains of her relative perished in the Srebrenica massacre, during a funeral ceremony for the 136 victims at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers (94 miles) northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Twenty years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide, and newly identified victims of the genocide are still being re-interred at Srebrenica. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(19 of19)

A Bosnian girl prays next to a coffin containing the remains of her relative perished in the Srebrenica massacre, during a funeral ceremony for the 136 victims at the Potocari memorial complex near Srebrenica, 150 kilometers (94 miles) northeast of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saturday, July 11, 2015. Twenty years ago, on July 11, 1995, Serb troops overran the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica and executed some 8,000 Muslim men and boys, which International courts have labeled as an act of genocide, and newly identified victims of the genocide are still being re-interred at Srebrenica. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

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