Serbian nationalists gathered in three Canadian cities over the weekend to protest U.S. and European recognition of Kosovo's declaration of independence.

Serbian supporters gather in Vancouver to rally and voice their opposition to Kosovo's declaration of independence on Sunday. Serbian supporters gather in Vancouver to rally and voice their opposition to Kosovo's declaration of independence on Sunday.
(Richard Lam/Canadian Press)

About 800 people rallied in downtown Vancouver and another 250 marched through the streets of downtown Montreal on Sunday. Another protest drew 2,000 people to the U.S. consulate in downtown Toronto on Saturday.

In Montreal, several speakers criticized countries like the U.S., France and Germany for quickly endorsing Kosovo's break from Serbia on Feb. 17.  

"The democratic rights of a country are being violated," protest organizer Diana Todic said of Serbia. "What precedent are we creating?"

She called on Canada to avoid doing the same, warning it could embolden Quebec sovereigntists.

Canada has yet to take a stand on the Kosovo issue. Some political experts have said Ottawa is concerned about the domestic implications of recognizing a unilateral declaration of independence. 

About 2,000 people, mostly Serbs and their supporters, stage a peaceful, colourful march on the U.S. Consulate in Toronto on Saturday. They are protesting the U.S. decision to recognize Kosovo's declaration of independence. About 2,000 people, mostly Serbs and their supporters, stage a peaceful, colourful march on the U.S. Consulate in Toronto on Saturday. They are protesting the U.S. decision to recognize Kosovo's declaration of independence.
(Jim Ross/Canadian Press)

While the protests were peaceful, demonstrators did not hide their enmity for Kosovo's Albanian majority.

One protester's sign read "Albaniens [sic] are immigrants in Serbia."

"Albanians … invaded our province and then settled there and never allowed Serbs to come back," Todic said following the rally.

"This is an issue that, for the past 50 years, the rest of the world has known nothing about."

Kosovo is viewed as a critical part of Serbian cultural heritage and history. The vast majority of Kosovo's population is ethnic Albanian, and Serbs represent about 10 per cent of the region's two million people.

Similar demonstrations are scheduled for next weekend in Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa.

With files from the Canadian Press