Spokesman says EC closely monitoring situation in Serbia

"We are closely monitoring the situation. We condemn all acts of hate and violence. The right of peaceful demonstration is to be upheld,” he told a news briefing answering a question from an N1 correspondent.

Mercier said that “police action must be proportionate and respect fundamental rights, including for all those being detained”.

“We expect a swift, transparent and credible investigation into allegations of excessive use of force by law enforcement authorities. And we also expect that due process is ensured for all those detained in the context of protests. Fundamental values are at the core of our common European project and need to be respected. This also applies to freedom of assembly as a fundamental right,” he said.