Protest in front of Sarajevo Canton govt. building over EuroLeague match involving Israeli and Dubai teams

Inside the building, chants of “Shame on you!” and “We don’t welcome genocidal states!” echoed through the halls, as demonstrators demanded an official response from the authorities.

One protester addressing the police claimed: “Israelis sold weapons to Serbs who shelled Zetra and Skenderija, and now they’re coming here to play. The Emiratis are committing genocide in Sudan, hanging children and burning mothers, and they’re coming to play basketball in our city. These young men here are the children of those who gave their lives for Sarajevo. And tomorrow, you’ll mobilize the entire Bosnian police to protect the perpetrators. Thank you for that!”

The protest then erupted with new chants of “Sellouts!”

According to N1 reporter covering the event live, protesters had been gathered outside the building since 10:30 am, frustrated that no government official had addressed them. The group entered the building after being told that someone from the authorities would speak to them.

“No more coffee and empty promises”

Activist Svjetlana Nedimovic, one of the demonstrators, said the citizens came to send a clear message to the government.

“We came to deliver a message. There’s nothing left for him to explain; it’s obvious there’s no awareness or conscience. Let him pass on the message to whoever he needs to. Don’t insult us any further,” she said.

Nedimovic added that citizens were not asking for the government to address them, they wanted to address the government directly.

“We want him to look us in the eye and hear what we have to say. We’ve been watching for years as they sell off the city, factories, water, healthcare, education. And now, we can’t even keep our symbols. Zetra is a symbol of Sarajevo’s pride and resistance, and now they’re bringing teams from genocidal states. Why? For money! And that money will again go to the elite destroying our lives,” she stated.

She called on Sarajevo Canton Prime Minister Nihad Uk to come out and listen to the people.

“Let him come here, listen, then go back to his office. We won’t harm him. He’s hiding behind security. They’re used to saying, ‘Come for coffee so we can talk.’ No more coffee. They sit, eat lamb, and plan how to ruin our lives,” she added.

Nedimovic said the protesters’ main demand is to cancel Thursday’s EuroLeague game at Zetra, scheduled for 7 pm, as well as future matches arranged between BC Bosna and the same teams.

When asked if they planned to leave the government building, Nedimović replied that they would stay until given a chance to address the authorities.

The protest was organized by several informal citizen groups, including the youth collective “We Want Change”, supported by activists who have been demonstrating in Sarajevo for over two years against the war in Gaza.

Their main demand is the cancellation of the EuroLeague match between the Israeli and Dubai clubs and a declaration that Zetra must not host teams from countries accused of committing genocide.

For now, it remains unclear whether any Sarajevo Canton Government officials will address the crowd. Police continue to secure the building’s entrance and monitor the situation.