Original article (in Serbian) was published on 19/3/2025; Author: Stefan Kosanović
The web portal Informer attempted to refute claims that a so-called “sound cannon” was deployed during Saturday’s protest in front of the National Assembly, insisting that it was just a regular megaphone. However, it was revealed that the Serbian police possess the LRAD 450XL, a sound weapon that can function as a loudspeaker but also emit distressing tones to disperse crowds. Even the Minister of Internal Affairs, Ivica Dacic, while standing next to one of these devices, addressed journalists and confirmed that Serbia owns a “means to amplify voice messages to encourage people to disperse”. He emphasized, however, that the police are not trained to misuse it and would only employ it as a loudspeaker. This statement came after days of denials from the government and pro-government media, which repeatedly insisted that such devices did not exist, a claim that President Aleksandar Vucic also reiterated multiple times. Dacic initially aligned with this narrative but admitted on Tuesday that his previous statement had been “clumsy”, clarifying that while the police own LRAD 100X models, they have never used them.
For days, there has been an ongoing debate about the cause of the panic at the protest held on Saturday, March 15, in Belgrade, when, according to eyewitnesses, a piercing sound interrupted a minute of silence for the victims in Novi Sad. The very next day, citizens began visiting health centers, reporting symptoms such as ringing in the ears and severe headaches, with some even diagnosed with hearing damage.
Speculation immediately arose in the public that the government might have used a device colloquially called a “sound cannon”, which can cause serious effects, including ringing in the ears, pain, and hearing loss.
From the outset, the government has denied that such equipment, which is legally prohibited in Serbia, was used during the protest.
Pro-government media and regime officials initially claimed that Serbia does not even possess such devices.
At yesterday’s session of the Parliamentary Committee for Defense and Internal Affairs, Minister Ivica Dacic finally admitted that Serbia possesses a type of LRAD system, specifically the portable model 100X, in response to a question from Serbian National Movement MP Miroslav Aleksic regarding which sound weapons Serbia owns.
Today, SSP Vice President Marinika Tepic published a photo of a vehicle from the protest showing a mounted LRAD sound weapon. Additionally, the editorial team of Danas published a statement from a Gendarmerie officer who claimed that multiple vehicles with installed sound devices were deployed during the protest in Belgrade.
Shortly after, recordings from the testing surfaced, in which a voice can be heard saying: “We warn all citizens to immediately stop disturbing public order and peace; otherwise, the police will be forced to use coercive measures”.
The web portal Informer then used these recordings to claim that tthe LRAD device was merely a megaphone.
A simple Google search easily reveals that the device in question is an LRAD 450XL model, which can be mounted on a car or placed on a stand.
Although the tabloid Informer claims it is just a loudspeaker, available video footage shows that this weapon, besides serving as a loudspeaker, can emit unpleasant sounds designed to disable crowds.
“It is a very powerful device that can easily transmit any type of sound”, said military analyst Aleksandar Radic for Nedeljnik, commenting on the LRAD 450XL. “There have been attempts by pro-government analysts to explain that it must be a siren. No, it has a USB port, and you can literally insert a player and play any sound”.
The city of New York agreed to pay nearly $750,000 to a group of people who sued the police, claiming they were injured when authorities used a “sound cannon” during protests in 2014. As part of the settlement, the police committed to no longer using the high-frequency “deterrent” tone on the LRAD sound weapon.
As expected, for the tabloid Informer, the real issue is not that the police even possess a weapon whose high-frequency use is illegal in Serbia, nor do they question why it appeared on the streets of the capital on Saturday.
Serbia possesses at least two types of LRAD sound weapons
Today, after addressing the media, Dacic took journalists to the courtyard of the SIV building and showed them a Gendarmerie vehicle with a mounted LRAD 450XL device, the same one recorded at the protests on Saturday.
Members of the Novi Sad Gendarmerie unit, whose vehicle with an LRAD device was photographed near the National Assembly building, demonstrated how these devices work, playing a pre-recorded message that, according to Minister Dacic, served as a warning for demonstrators to disperse.
As stated, the device cannot be used just like that because its battery does not work, having been stored in warehouses for four years, so it must be connected to the vehicle’s battery to function.
Dacic also emphasized that police officers are not trained to use these devices in any other way or for purposes other than as a loudspeaker.
During the demonstration, the portable LRAD 100X, which Dacic mentioned yesterday, was also displayed.
“Our police do not use these functions, which these devices may have. They are prohibited. And they have never been used, even in the sense of communication devices. We have no other devices, just so we’re clear, in case someone starts making things up again”, Dacic said at the time.
However, in November 2023, Serbian police used a device to emit powerful sound waves during the forced eviction of refugees from an abandoned house in the suburbs of Sombor, according to BIRN. Around 35 refugees, including women and children, tried to flee through nearby fields when a piercing sound, unusual and more intense than a gunshot, rang out from the direction of police forces.
According to reports from organizations monitoring the treatment of refugees, a weapon-like device was used by one of the police officers, and it is suspected to have been an LRAD, a long-range acoustic device. This operation was part of a broader crackdown on smuggling networks, but human rights organizations warned that it violated the rights of refugees who had no connection to criminal activities.
Serbia attempted to legalize these devices
The Serbian government attempted to legalize the use of so-called “sound cannons” through a draft Police Law in 2022, but the proposal was withdrawn due to public and NGO pressure.
The draft law article that sought to allow this was very specific, it clearly mentioned high-intensity directed waves, meaning the device was not described as a “loudspeaker” or “megaphone”, nor was the explanation framed in a way that suggested it was solely for broadcasting messages.
Article 134 of that draft stated that “devices for emitting sound waves shall be used in such a way that they emit high-intensity directed waves toward individuals from a distance that does not endanger their life and health”.
Vucic: I won’t be president if they used a sound cannon or vortex
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, in his first address right after the protests, denied that the police used a sound cannon.
He has repeated this claim multiple times, and on Tuesday, he stated that those making such accusations are “miserable liars”, adding that if it is proven that security forces used a “sound cannon”, “vortex”, or whatever the device is called, he will no longer be president.
“There was absolutely no sound cannon, no vortex, whatever it’s called, because it doesn’t even exist in this country, none of that happened”, Vucic said while appearing on TV Pink.
“They know that none of this happened, but it’s their only chance to keep the fire going, to prevent it from dying out completely. And someone will have to answer for that – those who devised and fabricated this story – because we are slowly uncovering everything, how it happened, and many other things”, Vucic said.
