Serbs marched by the thousands Tuesday chanting "Kosovo is Serbia" as they approached a bridge dividing them from ethnic Albanian Kosovars.
Such scenes in the region have forced NATO troops to close down roads to cut off a link between Serbia and Northern Kosovo. The NATO move coincided with Serb riots in protest of Kosovo's recent declaration of independence, which has been recognized by many Western nations.
Protesters torched two border crossings in northern Kosovo that were staffed by UN and Kosovo's multi-ethnic police and customs service.
Overnight, three explosions shook Kosovska Mitrovica -- a northern town divided between Serbs and ethnic Albanians.
One of the blasts damaged cars parked near a UN building. No injuries were reported.
In Belgrade, the Serbian capital, riots continued Tuesday outside of Western embassies.
Serbs have had a presence in Kosovo for more than 1,000 years and see it as the cradle of their Orthodox Christian church.
Kosovo, with a population of two million, is more than 90 per cent ethnic Albanian.
The province was part of Serbia, but one administered by the United Nations and NATO since 1999.
NATO air strikes helped end the presence of Serbia's military in Kosovo. Former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic, now deceased, had been cracking down on militant ethnic Albanian separatists. About 10,000 died in the conflict.
A UN envoy recommended in April 2007 that Kosovo be granted internationally supervised independence.
Serbia was willing to offer autonomy, but Kosovo wanted full statehood.
"Kosovo is interested to move forward and integrate itself into the European Union, it has no intention of joining Albania," Ely Lokku, of the Albanian-Canadian Community Association, told CTV's Canada AM on Tuesday.
"I think this is a wonderful opportunity, even for the Serbian people, to not be haunted by the past."
Nations react
On Monday, Kosovo sent out 192 letters Monday to the world's nations, seeking formal recognition for its nationhood.
The European Union met Monday to discuss the issue. Some members like Spain -- which has been battling a violent Basque separatist movement -- say they won't endorse Kosovo's move. However, Britain, Germany and France have followed the U.S. lead in recognizing Kosovo.
Canada issued a statement Sunday saying "the government is still considering a decision" on the matter.
"There are 200,000 Serbs in Canada... (and) 200,000 Serbs are going to be very offended and very hurt (if Kosovo's nationhood is recognized)," Sofija Skoric, former vice-president of the Serbian Unity Congress, told CTV's Canada AM on Tuesday.
Serbia recalled its ambassador to the U.S. Monday after Washington officially recognized the former Serbian province of Kosovo as an independent state.
Serbia is also threatening to recall its envoys from other countries that establish diplomatic ties with Kosovo, but it says relations with those countries will not be completely cut off.
Serbia said Monday it would work to block Kosovo from UN membership and other forms of diplomatic recognition.
"The so-called Kosovo state will never be a member of the United Nations," Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said.
Russia, a close ally of Serbia, is also lobbying against recognition of Kosovo's declaration. It sees the move as setting a dangerous precedence for separatist regions worldwide. Parts of Russia and Georgia are agitating for independence.
There are 16,000 NATO peacekeepers in Kosovo.
With files from The Associated Press
