BELGRADE, August 15. /TASS/. At least 42 police officers, including 26 in Belgrade, were injured during mass riots at rallies across Serbia, and 37 protesters were detained, Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said.

"42 police officers were injured, 26 of them in Belgrade. I would like to note that these are preliminary data, and the number of 42 is minimal, while several people were seriously injured. Urgent measures are still being taken. At the moment, 37 people have been detained," Dacic said at a press conference.

"Tonight, as a result of the actions of protesters at rallies throughout Serbia, there was a massive violation of public order and peace. The police were brutally attacked today. With the exception of isolated incidents, the situation in Belgrade is calm and stable at the moment. As for other places, protests continue in 8-9 more settlements, as well as attacks on police and premises of the Serbian Progressive Party (SPP) throughout Serbia. Besides Belgrade, the most serious incidents occurred in Novi Sad, where the SPP premises were vandalized in several places," Dacic said.

"This is one of the most brutal attacks on the police in recent years. These include physical attacks, stoning, beating with metal rods, sticks, the use of pyrotechnics and various means to injure police officers. The police used chemical agents to repel the attack on themselves," the head of the law enforcement agency said, adding that what happened "is an attack on the state."

On Wednesday night, protests took place in several Serbian cities, accompanied by attacks on the premises of the ruling SPP and the Socialist Party of Serbia. Dacic said 27 police officers and more than 80 civilians were injured in the attacks that day. The largest number of victims were supporters of the SPP, who gathered at the local branches of the party.

According to the Interior Ministry, protesters threw stones and pyrotechnics at buildings, five official vehicles and 22 pieces of equipment were damaged. A total of 47 people were detained, 47 administrative and five criminal protocols were drawn up. One of the most serious incidents was the attack on the soldiers of the special forces Cobra by a group of about 100 people in Novi Sad. A warning shot was fired into the air to protect the military.