The law was passed last Friday despite fierce objections from the Church, its supporters and pro-Serbian opposition parties who all claim that the legislation will enable the authorities to rob the Church of its property in Montenegro. The government denies intending to target any religious group in particular.

While MPs in parliament debated the law, opposition supporters, Serbian Orthodox priests and members of the public took to the streets to express their anger. Inside the parliament, trying to prevent the vote from taking place, Democratic Front MPs, including Knezevic, rushed at the speaker.

Police then intervened and detained the protesting MPs, after which parliament duly passed the law. Police detained a total of 22 people over the incident, including all 18 Front deputies. Knezevic spent the night in detention and is waiting for a prosecution decision over the charges he faces.

Following the adoption of the law, more protest marches were organised throughout Montenegro.

On Sunday, four police officers were injured in clashes near Podgorica airport. The same night, police used tear gas to end the protest outside a church in Podgorica, and 13 people were arrested.

Police Director Veselin Veljovic said on Monday that he would not allow attacks on police officers and state property. “Responsibility must be borne by those who call for violence and vandalism under the mantle of defending holy places. The spilt blood of police officers will not go unpunished,” he said in a press release.

Prime Minister Markovic has urged Serbian Orthodox clergy to return to their churches and not to urge their believers to agitate. He said the government was ready for dialogue but would not allow chaos.

“I advise [leading bishop] Metropolitan Amfilohije not to incite disorder, and this is the last warning,” Markovic said after a meeting in the Chamber of Commerce on Monday.

The Church has called his threats inappropriate and has said they did not encourage demonstrations or urge believers to clash with police while warning that believers are free to express their dissatisfaction with laws.

Bishop Amfilohije “has made it clear and unequivocal that it [the Serbian Church] is against violence. The Church is not against the state or is in any way undermining its legal order,” the bishop’s office said on Monday.

Knezevic, meanwhile, is clear that the protests will continue, and that clergy will continue to rally alongside people to heighten pressure on the government to scrap the law.

“I have no dilemma that the faithful and the clergy should continue peaceful gatherings and so protest over the government’s intention to abduct our churches,” he said.

“Obviously, there is an increasing number of citizens on the streets every night. They do not agree to legalise the hijacking of Church property,” he concluded.