Several people were injured by debris from smashed car windows and 36 cars with Croatian licence plates were damaged at several places throughout the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad during and after a Croatia-France game on Tuesday evening within the ongoing European Handball Championships in Serbia, and so far nine assaulters have been arrested, according to police reports on the incidents available to the Croatian consulate in Subotica.
The Serbian police are to provide more accurate information on the injured Croatian citizens and damaged cars later on Wednesday.
One of the Croatian fans was stabbed and admitted to hospital in Novi Sad. This gravest incident occurred in Ruma at a gas station where a Croatian van was set on fire last night.
Croatia's Foreign and European Affairs Ministry on Wednesday forwarded a protest note to Serbia's Ambassador in Zagreb, Stanimir Vukicevic, over the incidents in which Croatian handball fans were injured in Novi Sad and Ruma. Vukicevic expressed regret at the incidents and informed Zagreb that the Serbian authorities had so far arrested six assaulters.
According to him, an investigation is under way and the Croatian side will be informed about its findings in a timely fashion.
Organisations of ethnic Croats in Vojvodina also expressed condemnation of and concern at the incidents.
The 2012 EHF European Men's Handball Championship is being held in Serbia on January 15–29 in the cities of Belgrade, Nis, Novi Sad and Vrsac.
