Hooligans who disrupted the screening of the film „Roda“ remain unidentified a year later
The silence of institutions responsible for combating hate speech sends a dangerous message that violence and intimidation based on someone’s nationality or language are permitted, and that such actions can also be used to disrupt cultural and artistic events - several NGOs and civil society activists said in a joint statement
A year after the violent disruption of the screening of the film „Roda“ at the Džada Film Festival in Podgorica, the perpetrators have still not been identified, according to a joint statement by several NGOs and civil society activists.
The screening, they recalled, was disrupted on September 3, 2025, after a group of individuals in the audience protested with shouting and insults because the film was in Albanian, prompting the organizers, as a precautionary measure, to cancel the screening altogether.
- The screening of Roda, directed by Isa Ćosja, was eventually held indoors, even though the very essence of this festival, as its name suggests, is to screen films in the street, under the open sky. This demonstrated the state’s failure to protect freedom of artistic and cultural expression and the safety of the audience from overt nationalism in the public sphere. We also remind the public that, under the Constitution, Albanian is one of the languages in official use in Montenegro, and that members of the Albanian community make up at least five percent of Montenegro’s population - the statement said.
The NGOs and civil society activists immediately called on the police and prosecutors, in September last year, to identify and prosecute those responsible.
- In May this year, eight months later, the Basic State Prosecutor’s Office in Podgorica informed us that the investigation was still ongoing and that all measures and actions prescribed by law were being undertaken to identify the perpetrators. However, the public still does not know who was behind the incident, even though all deadlines for conducting the preliminary investigation have long since expired - the statement said.
They again called on the Police Directorate and the State Prosecutor’s Office to announce the outcome of the investigation without further delay.
- We warn that nationalist extremism must neither be tolerated nor normalized. The silence of institutions responsible for combating hate speech sends a dangerous message that violence and intimidation based on someone’s nationality or language are permitted, and that such actions can also be used to disrupt artistic events - the statement emphasized.
They said that an effective response by state institutions to extremist incidents is crucial to preserving Montenegro as a civic and multiethnic state governed by the rule of law, where everyone must have the freedom to create art and enjoy it - in all languages.
Signatories:
- Human Rights Action
- Centre for Civic Education
- SPEKTRA Association
- Centre for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro
- Centre for Women’s Rights
- Ipso Facto
- Dina Bajramspahić
- Jovana Marović
- Paula Petričević