Government denies using 'sonic cannon' at Serbia protests, 19 March 2025

...A large crowd of protesters in Belgrade were observing a 15-minute silence...in honour of the 15 people killed when part of a railway station collapsed in Novi Sad in November.

Then, out of nowhere, a loud, jarring noise shattered the quiet.

The mood shifted in an instant. The crowd surged towards the pavement in panic. I was swept along with them. People scattered in all directions.

At first, many thought the noise was an emergency vehicle, after what had sounded like a car crash. But there were no sirens.

Then came the rumours. Claims emerged that a sonic weapon – a device capable of causing pain, dizziness, and hearing damage – had been deployed against the peaceful protesters.

Serbian officials have denied these reports, rejecting allegations that security forces deployed a military-grade Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) – also known as a "sonic cannon" – during the demonstration.

The Serbian army has stated that it neither possesses nor has ever used a sonic cannon...

A group of six Serbian NGOs said in a joint statement: "From 500 reports from citizens and their testimonies, it is clear that during the protest on 15 March, there was a strong sonic boom, which caused a series of physical and psychological reactions among those present."

They added: "According to testimonies, those present felt a strong sound impact, followed by a wave of heat or wind"...