The way in which the media have been attacking the protest gatherings in Belgrade during the past few days, has surpassed everything we have seen before, it seems. The Student Protest has been described as a gathering of secondary school pupils (of elementary school even!), while the parallel protest of the citizens gets even worst reviews; it has become a "destructive mob", etc. Certain dark forebodings loom in the atmosphere;people mainly fear that the regime is getting ready for a clash with the protestors and that it is trying to prepare the public for a "provoked stamping out of the troublemakers".

We hope this will not happen, but nevertheless such a possibility exist. A recent appeal of the leaders of the opposition testifies to this possibility. They appealed to the citizens to stop throwing stones and other solid objects, even the legendary eggs. That is why I think that it is necessary now more than ever to refrain from all unwelcome incidents. This is the right time to show our readiness to struggle and persist in our protest, but above all, it is the right time to be rational and not allow victory to slip away from us. If we manage to keep this protest peaceful, no one will be able to suppress our demonstrations (beside the opinion of the public in our country, there is also the foreign public opinion!), and in that case, time will be on our side. After all, if the people who participate in the protest of the oppositional parties manage to refrain from all disorderly conduct, then we students, are obliged not to give the police any cause to react; it agrees with the spirit of the Student Protest, and we shall, because of the conduct of the media, have to do our best to show the real character of the Protest.

I do not deceive myself with thoughts that someone will take my advice when I say that the slogan in the title is not fully appropriate, but anyway we should not allow it to carry us too far.

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