Bosnia Archives:  Rioters Mob Bridge at Srpski Brod

Taken from the September 12, 1997 issue of Talon.
By Sgt. Greg Waltman
372nd MPAD


Rioters mob bridge at Srpski Brod

 

Story and Photos by Sgt Greg Waltman, 372nd MPAD

Srpski Brod, Bosnia and Herzegovina - A crowd of Bosnian Serbs carrying rocks, wielding signs and chanting death threats to Muslims and Croatians gathered Sept. 3 at the fixed bridge located in Srpski Brod, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Numbering more than 200, the crowd moved up to barricades where U.S. soldiers were positioned to guard the SFOR-controlled bridge across the Sava River.

The crowd was protesting the rumored movement of Muslims and Croatians across the bridge into Srpski Brod, according to Maj. Robert A. McCall, operations officer at Camp Sava North.

McCall said that the rumor was false, however.

The Serbs who initially moved up to the barricades carrying rocks and shouting gradually calmed down and dropped their potential weapons.

"They apparently started grabbing sticks and stones like they were going to attack," said 1st Lt. Edward J. Watto, a platoon leader for Company B, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment from Fort Drum, N.Y.

"After the initial surge to the wire, they backed off and calmed down," said McCall.

Coming so soon after the riots in Brcko, soldiers feared the chanting crowds would turn violent, Watto said.

Despite the crowd's efforts to antagonize the soldiers securing the bridge with gestures and comments, the troops kept their cool, said Pfc. Marc M. Cronin, of the 571st Military Police Company from Fort Lewis, Wash.

"It was just a big stare-down," said Sgt. 1st Class Russell S. Davis, platoon sergeant for the 571st Military Police Company.  "That strong controlled presence was key."

Republic of Srpska police, located near the entrance to the bridge in Srpski Brod, moved the crowd back and monitored the events occurring between SFOR and the Bosnian Serbs.

"After about 15 minutes, the Republic of Srpska police came out and pushed the crowd back about six feet," said Davis.  Again, when an SFOR vehicle crossed the check point, police helped move the crowd to let the vehicle pass.

While SFOR has been faced with mobs of angry Serbs in the past week at Brcko, this is the first time that soldiers from Camp Sava North have faced a crowd of demonstrators. Davis was not surprised by the gathering.

"I knew it was going to happen, it was only a matter of time. It went all the way across the border until it hit us," said Davis.

While the crowd, which began appearing just before noon and broke up peacefully by four o'clock, did not cause any major problems, Davis was still concerned with the safety of soldiers on the bridge.

"I have a lot of concerns during civil-disturbance operations.  The things that you need to do to protect your troops, like breaking out riot shields, may incite the crowd." said Davis.

Davis added that crowds can get out of control very fast.  Operations at the bridge had returned to normal Thursday, according to McCall.

2/14th Bosnia Archives:  Rioters Mob Bridge at Srpski Brod
Copyright © 2014 Kirk S. Ramsey
Last modified: August 12, 2014