Serbian protesters set fire to Vuciqi party offices

The offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) were burned during the fifth consecutive night, where there were new clashes between anti-government protesters and riot police.

Police in the town of Valjevo reportedly used smoke grenades and tear gas to protesters, as a small group of masked individuals attacked SNS empty objects.

There were widespread accusations of police violence and brutality in the capital, Belgrade, and Novi Sad. Serbia's interior ministry has denied those charges.

This comes as Russia pledged to assist pro-Moscow President Aleksandar Vuqic, who heads the SNS, saying it would not be “needs without reaction”.

Protests were initially triggered by the collapse of a railway station in Novi Sad in November last year that killed 16 people.

While anti-corruption demonstrations have attracted hundreds of thousands of protesters, they had been largely peaceful until Wednesday's clash, when pro-government faithful organised counterdemonstrates.

On Saturday evening, police again settled in a number of cities, including Belgrade, as people took part in demonstrations seeking early elections.

Offices and flags representing Vucici's SNS party have been at the centre of the protesters' anger.

Protesters also broke the windows of the Serbian Radical Party headquarters, an SNS coalition partner./Periscopi/