Yesterday, a young life was lost when a student was killed by his peers in Leskovac. This, another extremely terrible and disturbing event, is a symptom of a deep-rooted problem of violence that manifests itself at all levels, whether it is young people, politicians, citizens, or activists on the streets. Physical violence, as the most extreme form of violence, is becoming an increasingly accepted pattern of behavior in our society, negating tolerance, understanding, and mutual respect, warned the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Janković.

In recent months, it has been heard more and more that there has been discrimination and violence among students and peers, while it is not a rare case that teachers and school workers are the targets of attacks and threats. To make the absurdity even greater, an example is the school in Indjija, which organized activities to promote tolerance and normal communication, whose teachers, due to that, became victims of hatred, threats, verbal and psychological violence, and questioning of their work by non-competent institutions, individual parents and extreme individuals.

We have allowed the normalization of aggressive communication and violence, which inevitably spills over to children and young people. In just a few days, we witnessed scenes of violence in front of and in institutions, and even in the National Assembly, then on the streets, in public places, and in connection with sports events. Social networks are not far behind in promoting and sharing content that spreads hatred and incites violence. Thus, we have witnessed various examples of writings in which an elderly person, a victim of physical violence, is ridiculed and belittled or, in another case, a finger being pointed at a person’s nationality with demands that state authorities, the police, and the prosecutor’s office react differently depending on nationality, in the last case Romanian and Serbian, says the Commissioner.

Janković points out that this is the moment to seriously reconsider the negative social patterns of behavior that have become our reality. Each of us should show respect, appreciation, and tolerance by example at home, at school, at work, and in public spaces and say “no” to violence and discrimination. Violence breeds new violence, leaves unfathomable consequences, and destroys the fundamental values ​​of every society, the Commissioner concludes.