YUGOSLAVIA: BLOCKADE PREVENTS PROTESTORS FROM REACHING DEMO

(29 Jun 1999) English/Nat The first signs of political protest against the regime of Yugoslavian Slobodan Milosevic since the end of the NATO air campaign have begun in Yugoslavia. While 10-thousand protestors held a demonstration in the city of Cacak -- the first public rally of its kind for some time -- others weren't as successful in getting there. With pressure mounting on President Milosevic to resign, two bus loads of Democratic Party members planned to hold join the rally in Cacak. But they ran into a familiar problem at the town of Ljig, 80 kilometres south of Belgrade. Yugoslav police refused to let buses move on -- and their explanation didn't do much to relieve the frustration of those inside. SOUNDBITE: (English) "They are explaining (to) us that no-one is going to pass with the foreign journalists inside. So that's their message. That's their official statement." SUPER CAPTION: vox pop protestor Unable to progress, the protestors -- with the foreign media in tow -- took to the road and set off on foot to Cacak. While the police failed to break the spirit of the protestors, they did succeed in their mission. The 50 kilometre walk to Cacak proved too great, and the protestors failed to join the 10-thousand other protestors. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...