The killing rampage that left 12 people dead, including two children, and four injured began Wednesday when a 45-year-old man opened fire at a restaurant in the southern town of Cetinje.
A demonstration sponsored by the student movement “Kamo Sjutra” (Where Tomorrow) drew thousands of people outside the interior ministry in Podgorica.
“Sadness, revolt, anger,” “No turning back,” “Danger for everyone,” and “resignations” were among the slogans the protesters held up.
“Innocent citizens suffered during your time; therefore, be fair and correct. A collective representative informed the audience, “Resignations!” since you did not defend us.”
Aleksa Becic, the vice prime minister for security and defence, and Danilo Saranovic, the interior minister, were among the requests made by the organisers.
The disarming of Montenegrin society, the seizure of illicit firearms, the suspension of the granting of firearms licenses, and the deployment of police patrols in nearby areas were among the other demands.
The same student organisation hosted a vigil in Cetinje earlier on Sunday.
According to an AFP reporter, almost a thousand individuals remained motionless in silence for twelve minutes, signifying the number of victims.
In the heart of Cetinje, which witnessed its second mass shooting in less than three years, locals placed flowers and lit candles.
The vigil’s organisers stated in a statement on Sunday that while participants did not carry banners, their goal was to “give support to the town and the families of the victims.”
The opposition and the populace of the Balkan nation have criticised the government for law enforcement’s tardy response during the 30-minute killing spree that took place in five distinct sites.
The perpetrator shot himself when he was surrounded and died, and it took police around six hours to find him.
About 245,000 weapons, including 140,000 unregistered, are in circulation in Montenegro, a country of just over 620,000 people, according to the Swiss research program Small Arms Survey (SAS).
On Friday, Montenegrin authorities launched a two-month campaign for illegal gun owners to voluntarily surrender their firearms, modifications to the country’s laws, harsher punishments for illegal possession, and more stringent requirements for obtaining guns.
With a population of about 13,000, Cetinje is located in a steep valley that has seen little economic growth and was once the location of the royal capital.
One of the deadliest such occurrences to shake the nation occurred in 2022 when a man slaughtered 10 Cetinje citizens, including two children, in broad daylight before being killed.
Conflicts between competing mafia clans occasionally occur, and the region and its environs are hotspots for organised crime.
In Montenegro’s attempt to join the European Union, authorities have promised to address two significant problems that the country still faces: organised crime and corruption.
