Victim of Serb protest violence buried

[UPI]

BELGRADE, Dec. 28 (UPI) - Some 5,000 opposition supporters have
attended the funeral for the first victim of violence during their
nearly six-week anti-government protests, forgoing their daily
demonstrations to honor the 39-year-old man.
Predrag Starcevic was beaten to death
Tuesday during street clashes between opposition protesters and
supporters of President Slobodan Milosevic's government. Opposition
leaders say the man was clubbed by pro-government forces.
Braving a blizzard and freezing temperatures, the funeral party
processed to the cemetery for the burial ceremony, while riot police
assembled on a major city street and waited for the group to return to
downtown Belgrade.
The police, who have prevented the opposition's peaceful street
marches during the past two days, were not seen around the cemetery
during the burial.
When the crowd was leaving the New Cemetery, police pushed the
estimated 5,000-strong crowd, forcing them from the middle of the
Revolution Boulevard, in efforts to keep them from arriving in the city
center in a large crowd.
Opposition leaders have canceled their Saturday afternoon protest
rally, and instead urged supporters to attend the funeral. The
opposition called for a new protest Sunday afternoon.
Meanwhile, doctors say a 42-year-old man shot in the head allegedly
by Milosevic supporters Tuesday, is still in very serious condition in a
Belgrade hospital.
Doctors confirm at least 18 people were injured Thursday when police,
supported by undercover agents, brutally attacked bystanders with clubs.
Those beaten include television cameramen, journalists, student and
union leaders.
Belgrade University students, who were prevented by riot police from
staging their protest march Friday, say they will hold a separate
demonstration Saturday evening in downtown Belgrade.
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