In Albanians’ efforts to breakthrough in the south as of 1999, two Serbs died and around 300 were injured.

The day after violent protest of around 400 Albanians in southern Mitrovica under the slogan ‘Either you, or us’ situation on the main bridge on the Ibar/Ibër River is quite. American, German and Polish forces within KFOR have withdrawn, whereas Kosovo police and Italian Carabinieri are patrolling in both parts of the town.

The epilogue of protest, on the occasion of the erection of the ‘Park of Peace’ on the northern side of the bridge, is at least 23 injured, of whom 13 police officers and few protestors, but two Albanian journalists as well, of whom one was beaten up, while the other one was injured with the rocks which were thrown in his direction. Four vehicles were burnt, out of which two EULEX vehicles, one UNMIK jeep and a police vehicle of the ROSU unit. Five protestors were detained.

The Mayor of Northern Mitrovica Goran Rakic called on all citizens to remain calm and not to buy provocations aimed at pushing northern Kosovo into clashes and violence. Rakic, reiterated his call on Kosovo Albanians for dialogue.

Last protests are only one in 118 violent efforts of Albanian extremists to cross the main bridge over Ibar/Ibër River, which divides  northern Serbian and southern Albanian parts of the town. According to data, collected by the journalist from Kosovska Mitrovica Zoran Vlaskovi, who is the author of the book ‘Kosmet behind the lies’ and co-author of the book ‘Kosovska Mitrovica 1999-2006’, in those 118 attacks two Serbs died , and 300 of them were injured by rubber bullets or live ammunition.

The last one followed a week after the erection of the ‘Park of Peace’ at the place where concrete barricade used to stand. Sunday protests under the slogan ‘Either you, or us’ started after protestors stormed police with stones in efforts to break-through the police cordon, after what KFOR used teargas, shock bombs and rubber bullets. This ‘peaceful protest’ turned into a destructive march, whereas raid on northern Mitrovica, where around 1.000 Serbs observed the protests of Albanians, was prevented thanks to members of ROSU special forces, Kosovo police, American, German and Polish KFOR troops.

The bridge, which was reconstructed in 2001 based on the project of the French architect Gil Pike, remains, for years, a bloody arena for clashes between the south and the north. Serbs remember 17 April 2004 when Albanians from southern Mitrovica killed from the sniper Jana Tucev, who was at her balcony in the building near the river Ibar/Ibër, and Borivoje Spasojevic who was killed when he went, along with around 1.000 Serbs to defend the northern part of the town. Those were the first victims in northern Kosovska Mitrovica.