Children, teachers and parents gathered Tuesday evening outside the Vladislav Ribnikar elementary school in Belgrade at what they said was a rally of support and unity.

The Vladislav Ribnikar school in central Belgrade was the site of a mass shooting by a 13 year old 7th grade student who on May 3, 2023 brought his father’s handgun to school and killed nine students and a school security guard.

The rally participants said that no one is against the idea of turning a part of the school into a Memorial Center but that they oppose the Serbian Government decision regarding the Memorial Center which they do not see as legal and legitimate, and added that it is necessary to ensure that the children attending this school continue their education normally and that conditions be improved.

Parent Council member Dragan Lukovic explained that, under the Serbian Government’s decision, the children cannot use the school gym, the football field and the fire exit.

Also disputed is the immediate coming into effect of the Government’s decision on the formation of a Working Group for the Memorial Centre in memory of the victims at the school, he said.

There is also a group of parents that agrees with the Government’s decision.

At the request of the victims’ families, the Serbian Government adopted on March 8 a decision on establishing a Working Group for the Memorial Centre in memory of the victims.

Education Minister Slavica Djukic Dejanovic told N1 that a part of the school in which the tragedy took place will not be used for classes.

With this decision, the Government specified that until the adoption of the urban, architectural and construction solution for the Memorial Centre and the arrangement of the new ambient unit, the plot of land on which the school is located is exempted from being used for educational activities.