UP TO 100,000 demonstrators marched through Belgrade yesterday denouncing President Slobodan Milosevic as authorities cracked down on independent radio stations and stepped up policing.
The demonstration which marked a 15th consecutive day of protest following the cancellation of municipal election results, drew the highest level of support since a government warning to protesters issued on Sunday.
Demonstrations on Sunday and Monday were supported by some 50,000 demonstrators down on the 100,000 demonstrators of the previous three days.
For the second consecutive day yesterday, heavy policing was enforced as demonstrators continued to defy the government warnings.
Belgrade's independent radio station B-92, which has given wide coverage to the protests, was declared illegal and closed down, the station said yesterday.
Shortly afterwards, Radio Index, the Belgrade students' radio station, which has also reported on the demonstrations, was closed, the station said.
As the government toughened its stance, two armoured Vehicles and about 15 busloads of anti-riot police, as well as other police vehicles, were parked about 100 metres from the protesters.
Mr Milosevic has yet to break his silence on the protests, while authorities made their first comments on Sunday with the interior ministry warning it would not tolerate any violence and denounced protesters as neo-fascists.
Amid mounting international criticism of the Belgrade government, five representatives from the US Congress travelled to the capital yesterday to join the demonstrations.
Their arrival came a day after the US toughened its stance, warning Serbia against the use of force to put down protests and calling on European leaders to hold off giving the rump Yugoslavia preferential trade treatment.
The protests were launched after the government cancelled the results of municipal elections in which the opposition claimed victory in 15 of Serbia's 18 largest towns, including the capital.
Authorities organised a re-run in which the opposition, despite boycotting the vote, maintained its hold on seven municipalities.
Earlier in a separate demonstration, some 20,000 students filed by the Serbian parliament building, pelting it with white powder and daubing its walls with the words "Rat Poison for the Government". They carried banners saying: "Prevent a Civil War in Serbia."
A student leader, Mr Dada Djurisic, said earlier the students would "bring disinfectants and cleaning materials for the republican parliament". This was a reference to the authorities' refusal to allow the building to be used on the grounds that it requires cleaning and pest control work.
Minor clashes between students and police were reported. Since Sunday, 32 people have been arrested.
The EU has urged Mr Milosevic to exercise restraint.