HEAVY POLICE PRESENCE DEPLOYED OUTSIDE INFORMER

BELGRADE, OCTOBER 26 /SRNA/ – Heavily equipped police forces carrying riot-control gear have arrived outside the Informer building, where protesters are holding editor Dragan J. Vučićević and employees hostage.

The employees, who are occasionally shown on camera, appear very frightened and are attempting to negotiate with the perpetrators of the violence.

One of the protesters is demanding that Vučićević apologise to what he called "his free Serbian people".

At the beginning of the crisis, while the programme was being broadcast live, Vučićević appealed to the police to intervene.

He said at the time that the police were only about 50 metres from the building and expressed disbelief that they had not yet intervened, particularly pointing out that there were also underage children inside.