Rage against Milosevic sweeps through central Belgrade

His opponents seemed confident they already held firm control of power. Challenger Vojislav Kostunica addressed a jubilant throng from the balcony of City Hall and his aides negotiated for security pledges from police commanders.

"What we are doing today is making history," proclaimed Kostunica, who opposition forces say won Sept. 24 elections.

The uprising developed with stunning speed _ swelling as security forces showed little willingness to battle the largest anti-Milosevic protest ever. Many police put down their clubs and joined flag-waving crowds as they surged across central Belgrade through clouds of tear gas.

The parliament building, the state broadcasting center and police stations fell in quick succession. Demonstrators tossed documents and portraits of Milosevic through the broken windows of the Federal Parliament building. Smoke billowed from other rooms. Dozens of people were injured, according to witnesses. Some police who fired on demonstrators were beaten.

The conquest of the parliament was highly symbolic. But losing the state broadcaster and the government-run newspaper Poliltika was seen as a bigger blow to Milosevic _ denying him his biggest propaganda tools and the ability to rally what's left of his supporters.

Even the state-run Tanjug news agency broke ranks and said it would report "truthfully and objectively" and no longer toe the government line. It referred to Kostunica as "president-elect."

The domino-like successes of the opposition did not fully erase fears that Milosevic could still strike back. Kostunica asked supporters to remain on the streets until dawn to try to block any possible counter-attack by the military. He also appealed to people from the countryside to stream into Belgrade for rallies Friday. "We call on the military and police to do everything to ensure a peaceful transition of power," Kostunica urged.

The crowd chanted for Milosevic's arrest. Kostunica answered: "He doesn't need to be arrested. He arrested himself a long time ago." After the state broadcasting system was restored, an opposition leader, Nebojsa Covic, said their victory "belongs to all of us, to Europe and to the world."

There was no immediate reaction from Milosevic or his inner circle. There were fears the mayhem could allow him to declare martial law and come down hard on his foes _ if he still can. A statement from his Socialist Party of Serbia said it would "fight against violence and destruction" with "all its force and in all state institutions." The Yugoslav military remained in barracks and it was unclear whether it remained loyal to Milosevic.

But his ordinary security forces appeared to be disintegrating, with protesters seizing police precincts without a fight. The level of defiance was unprecedented in Yugoslavia's 55-year communist history.

Milosevic's whereabouts were not known. But there was heavy police presence around the Milosevic compound in Belgrade's Dedinje neighborhood. In Washington, Pentagon spokesman Kenneth Bacon said U.S. official believe Milosevic was still in Belgrade. In case he tried to flee by land, Bulgarian officials placed border guards on extra alert.

Milosevic had already countered in the courts in an apparent bid to cling to power. The Milosevic-controlled Yugoslav Constitutional Court issued a decision Wednesday that one justice said nullified the ballot. The ruling had outraged opposition supporters, who had streamed into Belgrade from around the country for a huge rally.

But violence broke out quickly, suggesting opposition leaders had little control over some factions that may be more driven by frustration over Yugoslav's disastrous economy. One attempt to storm parliament was driven back by tear gas. Following waves of protesters broke through. "They're giving up," said a demonstrator who identified himself only as Sasha. "They're whining like little girls saying they didn't want to fight against the people."

Gangs of young people, many of them intoxicated, smashed furniture and computers and set fires. Some looted what valuables they could carry. Documents were strewn on the floor, along with pictures of regime officials in broken frames. Protesters _ from burly farmers to black-robed Serbian Orthodox priests _ waved Yugoslav flags outside the building, where Milosevic was sworn in to another term in 1997 and promised "peace, progress and prosperity."

"At this moment, terror rules in Belgrade," the pro-Milosevic government television said in a commentary. A short while later, it was knocked off the air. A bulldozer broke into the building and demonstrators poured inside. Police fled out the back or surrendered. Flames engulfed part of the building, which was hit during NATO air strikes last year.

With the only nationwide radio and television networks temporarily silenced, news of the events was spread by local stations around the country. As the chaos subsided, protesters roamed unhindered through downtown Belgrade. Some donned looted police equipment. Others wore paper caps with the slogan, "We'll Endure." They moved past shops, some shut down with signs stating, "Closed because of robbery" _ an allusion to opposition claims that Milosevic stole the elections.

Gangs destroyed the Socialist party offices and the headquarters of the neo-communist party run by Milosevic's wife Mira Markovic. On the walls written in spray paint: "People's Revolution." "The police cordon has been defeated. I'm telling his generals: when they try to use the army against the people, it will turn against them," said a former army chief, Momcilo Perisic, who backs the opposition.

U.S. President Bill President Clinton said "the people are trying to get their country back." Clinton and other Western leaders promised to lift sanctions on Yugoslavia once it clear Milosevic has been defeated. "The people of Yugoslavia have made their will known: Milosevic should not thwart them," U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said in Egypt.

In Yugoslavia's Western-oriented republic Montenegro, the prime minister, Filip Vujanovic, applauded the protesters for "defending democracy." Serbia and smaller Montenegro comprise Yugoslavia.

Outside Belgrade, thousands more joined smaller rallies in towns throughout the country. Other protesters used a front-end loader to shove aside two sand trucks used by authorities to try to block a 20-kilometer (12-mile) line of cars and buses with about 15,000 people heading to Belgrade from the opposition stronghold of Cacak. Riot police just stood.

(klei/AP)