The center of Belgrade was cordoned off on Wednesday morning after gunfire erupted near the Serbian Parliament, leaving one man injured and sparking a large fire in a tent camp set up by supporters of President Aleksandar Vucic. The tense situation quickly drew heavy police presence, fire brigades, and ambulances, while authorities confirmed that one suspect had been detained.

According to reports from the scene, the shooting occurred inside one of the tents around 11:20 a.m. Bulgarian time. The injured man, aged 57, was taken to hospital and is not in life-threatening condition, Health Minister Zlatibor Lončar announced. Police said the alleged gunman, identified only by the initials V.A., was arrested at the scene and found carrying a pistol and incendiary materials.

#BREAKING #Serbia A fire broke out in the tent camp near the Serbian Parliament in Belgrade.

One person has been hospitalized. Shortly before the fire, sounds resembling gunshots were heard, Serbian state media reports.

Video footage shows an individual being apprehended. pic.twitter.com/LQu6QzZzD3

— The National Independent (@NationalIndNews) October 22, 2025

The tent camp, often referred to as “Ćaciland,” was established months ago on President Vucic’s personal orders as a show of support for his government and as a counter-demonstration to the massive anti-government protests that have swept Serbia since the deadly collapse of the Novi Sad train station canopy on November 1, 2024, which claimed 16 lives.

Shortly after the shots were fired, a fire engulfed the tents, prompting panic among those gathered nearby. Eyewitnesses said police initially prevented people from leaving the parliament building, fearing there might be ammunition or explosives inside the burning camp. “When we went out in front of the parliament, there was a huge fire. The police and security didn’t know what to tell us. Later, they told us to go back because they suspected there were explosives,” said MP Bogdan Radovanovic.

President Aleksandar Vucic interrupted a scheduled meeting and addressed the nation shortly after the incident, calling it a “terrorist act.” He released a video showing the attacker entering a tent and shooting at a man. Vucic also shared footage of the arrested suspect, who was seen lying on the ground in handcuffs and responding to police questions. When asked why he carried out the attack, the man reportedly said, “Because I wanted the police to kill me. Those people in the tents make me angry. I was born in the city center, and they make me very angry.”

The incident immediately drew sharp reactions across the political spectrum. Marinika Tepic, deputy leader of the Party of Freedom and Justice, called for the immediate evacuation of parliament after pro-government media labeled the shooting a terrorist attack. Despite her warning, the parliamentary session continued.

The pro-government newspaper Politika quickly published its own version of events, claiming that “the police prevented a massacre” and describing the suspect as a 30-year-old man who opened fire on citizens before setting the camp ablaze. The paper reported that the man has been charged with attempted murder and public endangerment, though official confirmation from the prosecutor’s office was still pending.

Famous Serbian basketball player Vladimir Štimac reacted strongly on social media, accusing the authorities of arming the camp. “All you need to know is that in this tent camp there is a lot of ammunition and weapons. It was all supplied by Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party. They allowed criminals to have weapons, and now look what happened,” he wrote.

The Democratic Party claimed that more people may have been injured or detained than officially reported. Meanwhile, the Belgrade Chief Prosecutor arrived at the scene to oversee the investigation.

The camp, a long-standing symbol of Serbia’s deep political divide, had become increasingly controversial in recent months amid rising social tension. The tragedy has now added to growing public anger toward Vucic’s government, which has faced months of mass demonstrations calling for accountability and reform.