Because of the threatened deportation of tennis star Novak Djokovic from Australia, hundreds of people have gathered for protests in his home country of Serbia.
The father of the world number one said in front of the demonstrators in Belgrade on Thursday that he wanted “support and no violence” for his son.
Srdjan Djokovic called for the protests after Australian border guards refused the vaccine-skeptical tennis player entry to Melbourne because of missing documents.
At the demonstration in Belgrade, numerous participants waved Serbian flags or carried banners, including the words: "You are afraid of the best, stop corona fascism".
Srdjan Djokovic compared the case of his son, who was staying in a controversial hotel in Australia and waiting for a deportation decision, with the suffering of Jesus Christ: “Jesus was crucified and subjected to many things, but he persevered and still lives among us.
Novak was crucified in the same way. ”Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic had previously spoken of a“ political hunt ”against the tennis professional.
Djokovic was detained at the airport for hours by the Australian authorities on Wednesday evening and was later taken to a hotel that the authorities use as a detention center for migrants. According to the Australian Border Guard, Djokovic's visa for the country has been canceled due to a lack of proof of vaccination. Now a court is dealing with the possible deportation. Djokovic actually wants to take part in the Australian Open, which begins on January 17th.
The tennis star, who did not make his vaccination status public and had repeatedly expressed himself critical of corona vaccinations, landed in Melbourne after, according to his own statements, he had received a medical exemption from the organizers of the Australian Open.
Accordingly, he should not have to prove that he is fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
The border guards saw it differently.