Šapić reacts after accusation of assault on councilwoman: “I didn’t hit her, I pushed her to defend myself from her husband”

Belgrade mayor Aleksandar Šapić reacted for the first time after being accused of physically attacking Tanja Mićić, councilwoman of the opposition movement “Kreni-promeni,” during an incident on Monday evening in New Belgrade.

In identical statements given to the Serbian newspapers Blic, Kurir and Informer, as the izlaz.com portal reports, Šapić denied punching the councilwoman and breaking her nose, claiming he had acted in self-defense.

“I didn’t hit the woman, but I pushed her to defend myself from her husband. I have never attacked anyone first, nor have I ever hit a woman in my life. I have never gone to anyone’s home, nor will I. But likewise, I have never run from anyone, nor will I, especially not from those who think everything is allowed to them,” Šapić declared.

The mayor said he does not want to take part in the “media show” that, according to him, those who have repeatedly brought people in front of his house are trying to organize.

“Even this time they tried to attack me, first verbally and then physically. When I asked them why they had spread my address on social networks, were bringing people in front of my house and threatening me, they started attacking me,” Šapić said, adding that there had then been “pushing and shoving.”

The incident happened on Monday evening in the Bežanijska Kosa neighborhood of New Belgrade: according to councilwoman Mićić, she was walking with her husband and their dog when Šapić approached her accusing her of bringing protesters in front of his house; she claims he punched her in the nose after she stepped between him and her husband. The “Kreni-promeni” movement published a video of the councilwoman with a bloodied nose and footage of police escorting the mayor, who was released minutes later.

“Kreni-promeni” leader Savo Manojlović wrote on Instagram last night that “Šapić has admitted the attack on our councilwoman Tanja Mićić and her husband,” while the movement announced a protest for today at 2 p.m. in front of the Prosecutor’s Office in New Belgrade.

The alleged attack was also immediately condemned by the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP), the Ecological Movement (Ekološki ustanak) and Stefan Simić, councilor of the Free Citizens’ Movement in the Belgrade City Assembly, who called for a reaction from the competent bodies.