The clashes, which left downtown Belgrade looking like a war zone, started around 11 am in front of the parliament headquarters and in the Slavija Square, after which they spread to other parts of the city close to the Manjez Park, where the Gay Pride parade was taking place.

Strong police forces prevented rioters from reaching the park through nearby streets, after which they started destroying cars and shop windows and turning over garbage containers they came across. The offices of the Democratic Party - the main party of the ruling coalition - were stoned and set on fire.

The police also had to intervene at the headquarters of the Serbian Socialist Party and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the building housing the national broadcaster RTS was stoned, and some of the rioters also tried to break into the parliament building.

The Gay Pride parade itself was peaceful, with around 1,000 participants and several times more police officers who guarded the park where the event was taking place.

The parade was supported and attended by the head of the European Commission Office in Serbia, Vincent Degert, the head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Mission, Dimitris Kipreos, Serbian Human and Minority Rights Minister Svetozar Ciplic, LDP leader Cedomir Jovanovic, US Ambassador Mary Warlick, and other public figures.

After the parade, its participants were taken in police vans to the safe parts of the city, from where they dispersed, taking off badges and other symbols worn at the parade.

The Serbian government condemned the riots in the strongest terms.

A spokesman for the Office of the Public Attorney, Tomo Zoric, told the B92 network that the prosecution and police would do their best to identify and prosecute all involved in today's criminal acts and attacks on the police. All major incidents were filmed and those recordings will be used as evidence in the proceedings that will ensue, he said.