Tens of thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Belgrade on Saturday, joining what has become one of the biggest antigan demonstrations in Serbia in recent years.
Organized by university students, the rally aimed to hold President Aleksandar Vucic responsible for corruption, negligence and the tragic collapse of the roof in a Novi Sad station in November 2024, which killed 15 people.
The police said that the crowd had reached 107,000 people at its peak, the independent Serbian media estimating even higher numbers.
Despite intermittent rains, the demonstrators filled the streets, waving flags and singing slogans, demanding justice for the victims of the Novi tragedy. The demonstration, nicknamed “15 for 15”, marked both the date of the rally and the number of lives lost in the incident.
The demonstration was born from a series of demonstrations led by students who started in December after the disaster.
Many of the collapse of government corruption and lax security regulations in the construction industry blame, the government’s failure to act as a symbol of broader systemic problems. The rally, although Pacific, was spoiled by sporadic incidents, including clashes between demonstrators and the police.
The rally on Saturday was a highlight of months of activism, with demonstrators calling for the resignation of government representatives and at the end of corruption. “We came for justice. I hope that after this demonstration, things will change,” said Milica Stojanovic, a biology student at the University of Belgrade.
In response to demonstrations, Vucic had repeatedly warned potential disorders and the possibility of arrests, accusing Western intelligence services to orchestrate demonstrations.
However, he has provided no evidence in support of these complaints. Throughout the day, tensions have increased as a group of Vucic supporters, including members of notorious paramilitary units, installed a camp near government buildings, adding to the already loaded atmosphere.
Despite these challenges, students and their supporters remained resolved. “It’s not the end, but the start of the end,” said Dejan Simic, a demonstrator. “This movement is for a more democratic Serbia, where corruption is no longer tolerated.”
Police deployed hundreds of officers and public transport in the city were suspended to prevent more people from reaching the demonstration.
While the demonstrators gathered, violence broke out in certain regions, with a car that struck a group of demonstrators in the suburbs of Zarkovo, injuring three people. In addition, there have been attack reports against student activists in the center of Belgrade.
However, the majority of demonstrators continued their march in the National Assembly, where they held a moment of silence for the victims of the collapse of Novi Sad at 11:52 am, the moment of the tragedy. Many farmers, veterans and other supporters have joined the solidarity rally, stressing generalized anger in Serbian society.
As the demonstration took place, Vucic continued to remain firm, rejecting calls to a transitional government or the first elections. “I’m not going to put myself pressure,” he said in a television address. “I will not let the streets establish the rules of this country.” He also warned of a “final” confrontation, suggesting that the rally on Saturday could be a central moment in the current battle between the government and its criticism.
The demonstration on Saturday, although great and significant, should only be a chapter of a permanent struggle for greater responsibility and reform in Serbia.
While the demonstrations continue, the future of the government and the presidency of Vucic is at stake, citizens demanding the end of corruption and a more transparent democratic system.
