In 2008, rioting Serb irredentists burned the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia.

A vivid symbol of this hostility occurred in February 2008. After Kosovo declared independence—a move recognized by the United States and most Western countries—Serbian protesters stormed and set fire to the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade. One person died during the unrest.

This incident, highlighted in recent social media discussions, underscores how the the independence and freedom of the Albanians of Kosovo fuels ongoing anger among Serb irredentists. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s independence and sees U.S. support for it as a direct “threat to its territorial integrity”, as if Kosovo was under Serbian jurisdiction. Polls and public discourse frequently rank the U.S. among perceived adversaries, alongside Albania and Croatia in some surveys.

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