Thousands of far-right "hooligans" have forced an LGBT Pride event to be scrapped after officials said it could not go ahead safely.
Today religious and right-wing fanatics took to the streets of Belgrade in protest at the planned Europride, which had been due to happen next month.
President Aleksandar Vucic had already said it would be cancelled or postponed due to threats, but this wasn't enough for the huge mob.
Today's protest against the EuroPride event, held during a procession to mark a religious holiday, was led by clergy from the Serbian Orthodox Church - whose bishops say the Pride event threatens traditional family values and should be banned.
One batter at the protest said: "Save our children and family."
Many chanted slogans in support of far-right or nationalist movements, while some waved Russian flags in support of Vladimir Putin's murderous regime.
The president said on Saturday that EuroPride would be scrapped or held later for safety reasons.
He said right-wing "hooligans" and issues such as an ongoing dispute with Kosovo and the energy crisis, played a role in the decision.
"It will happen but in some other and happier time," he said.
However, a UN representative in Serbia slammed the decision.
Francoise Jacob, the resident coordinator in Serbia, said: "It would go against Serbia's international human rights commitments."
Previous Serbian governments have banned Pride parades in the past, drawing criticism from human rights groups and others.
Some Pride marches in the early 2000s also met with fierce opposition and were marred by violence.
But recent Pride marches in Serbia have passed off peacefully, a change cited by EuroPride organisers as one reason why Belgrade was chosen as the 2022 host.
Copenhagen was the host in 2021. Serbia is a candidate to join the EU.
But to become a member, it must first meet demands to improve the rule of law and its human and minority rights record, and must root out organised crime and corruption and mend ties with Kosovo.
