German-Italian pianist David Martello was expelled from Serbia on April 6 after participating in a student protest in the southern city of Niš, independent news outlet N1 reported.

Martello, who had played on a bridge during a five-hour blockade organised by students on April 5, was informed by Serbian authorities that he must leave the country by April 9.

“The police found me at 4am in the morning while I was sleeping in my caravan… the Serbian government gave me a one-year ban of entry, mainly because I am a ‘persona non grata’ at this moment, the nice police guys admitted that,” Martello wrote on his Instagram account.

Serbian authorities claimed that the pianist, who entered Serbia as a tourist on April 4, did not use his stay for the purposes stated upon his arrival. The police asserted that Martello's participation in the protest contradicted the conditions of his short-term visa.

Martello had previously been deported from Turkey, where he had travelled to support the protests against President Recep Erdogan. His presence in Niš on April 5 was seen as an act of solidarity with the student movement in Serbia, which has been critical of the government and corruption.

The incident highlights the increasing scrutiny of foreign nationals participating in political acts in Serbia. In January, Serbian authorities detained and expelled 14 foreign nationals attending a civil society conference in Belgrade, accusing them of being a security risk without providing further details or evidence.

Serbian authorities have not issued any further comments regarding Martello's expulsion, but the incident raises concerns about the tightening control over civil society and foreign influence in Serbia’s domestic affairs.