The Kosovo police detained two Serbian youths: They mistreated us and sprayed tear gas because we were singing our songs

In the night between Friday and Saturday, an hour after midnight, in the center of Leposavic, two minors were detained for, as they confirmed, singing songs at a birthday party. The Kosovo police, they say, sprayed tear gas and used force on them all the way to the police station.

The youths from Leposavic say they are now scared of what they are allowed to do and how to act in their hometown. Aleksa Babic says that the police officers mistreated them all the way to the police station.

"We were across from the café 'Mistik' and singing our songs about our Kosovo that we were listening to at the birthday party, and because of that, the police detained us and took us into custody, where we had to give statements and were mistreated. They forced us to explain why we were singing those songs, and they insulted me in the car. They sprayed us with tear gas, and they sprayed me in the car when they were taking me to the station," Babic recounts.

He adds that they did not disturb public order and peace; they were just singing and had no intention of provoking anyone.

"We did not disturb the peace, we were not shouting, we were singing songs about Kosovo and had no intention of provoking anyone. We did not provoke, and we did not cause any problems. During the arrest, they used force, pushed us against the wall, handcuffed us, put us in the car, and took us away. They used force at the police station," said Babic.

He adds that he is now afraid of what he can be detained for.

"We are afraid because we no longer know what we can and cannot do. We can be detained for various things, we are threatened, and I think it is dangerous for young people to live here," says Babic.

Andrija Antonijevic claims that the police officers at the station forced them to sing the same songs again.

"We were at a friend's celebration, and after the celebration, we all went to a café where we sang the same songs. We did not provoke anyone, we did not intend to offend anyone, we were singing songs about Kosovo. After that, they came and sprayed us with tear gas, and immediately arrested us, my friend and me, I don't know why. They yelled at us and shouted, 'Sing here now, what you sang before,' and they attacked us the whole time. One friend was sprayed with tear gas in his eyes and had to go to the clinic, and I was also hit by the tear gas. They tightened the handcuffs as much as they could, put us in the car, and then wrote a report at the station, fined us 200 euros, and after that report, they let us go home," said Antonijevic.

He, like his peer, is afraid of what he can do and how safe he is.

"We are afraid, they arrest us for small things without reason, I don't know what I can and cannot do," said Antonijevic.

They were fined 200 euros each, but if they pay within 15 days, the fine will be reduced by half to 100 euros.

The deputy commander of the Kosovo Police for the northern region, Veton Eljshani, says that a disturbance of public order and peace was reported at 1:30, noise and shouting, which is punishable by Kosovo laws after midnight from 1 AM.