Croatian Councillor’s Solo Fightback Against Ethnic Hatred

Jure Zubcic, a 29-year-old city councillor from Zadar, has become known for taking direct action against anti-Serb graffiti - altering it from "kill a Serb" to "kiss a Serb".

Even though someone filed a criminal complaint against him, he believes that his actions have had a positive impact.

"The police in Zadar, after my two alterations, are now actually ordering the community officers to clear up the graffiti. I consider it to be progress," the young councillor from the centre-left Social Democratic Party, SDP, told BIRN.

"Colleagues from my councillor's club would never do that, but they support it because they understand the message," Zubcic said.

However, he believes that other councillors in Zadar, mostly from the ruling centre-right Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ party, probably think his actions are foolish.

"But I don't think [it is foolish] because I found a way to send a message and made the institutions to do what they need to do," he said.

Reported by an anonymous complainant

Jure Zubcic. Photo courtesy of Jure Zubcic.

In December 2018, when Zubcic first altered the anti-Serb graffiti, he went to explain himself to the police. Initially, it went well.

"They were really scrupulous. I had no problems with the police, but [later] I received an anonymous criminal complaint," Zubcic said.

"I was reported by an anonymous person for two criminal offences. One is the destruction of someone else's property and the other is, to paraphrase it - because I don't have the document here - for the offence of misleading people that members of the Croatian public are xenophobic," he said.

Zubcic said that he didn't speak to media about his first informal interview with the police,...