Tens of 1000’s of demonstrators flooded the streets of Belgrade on Saturday, becoming a member of what has turn out to be one of many largest anti-government protests in Serbia in recent times.
Organised by college college students, the rally aimed to carry President Aleksandar Vucic accountable for corruption, negligence, and the tragic roof collapse at a prepare station in Novi Unhappy in November 2024, which killed 15 individuals.
Police reported that the group reached 107,000 individuals at its peak, with unbiased Serbian media estimating even larger numbers.
Regardless of intermittent rain, the protesters stuffed the streets, waving flags and chanting slogans, demanding justice for the victims of the Novi Unhappy tragedy. The protest, dubbed “15 for 15,” marked each the date of the rally and the variety of lives misplaced within the incident.
The protest has grown out of a collection of student-led demonstrations that started in December following the catastrophe.
Many blame the collapse on authorities corruption and lax security laws within the building trade, with the federal government’s failure to behave seen as a logo of broader systemic points. The rally, whereas peaceable, was marred by sporadic incidents, together with clashes between protesters and police.
Saturday’s gathering was a fruits of months of activism, with protesters calling for the resignation of presidency officers and an finish to corruption. “We got here for justice. I hope that after this protest, issues will change,” stated Milica Stojanovic, a biology pupil on the College of Belgrade.
In response to the protests, Vucic had repeatedly warned of potential unrest and the opportunity of arrests, accusing Western intelligence providers of orchestrating the protests.
Nonetheless, he supplied no proof to help these claims. All through the day, tensions rose as teams of Vucic’s supporters, together with members of infamous paramilitary items, arrange camp close to authorities buildings, including to the already charged ambiance.
Regardless of these challenges, the scholars and their supporters remained resolute. “This isn’t the tip, however the starting of the tip,” stated Dejan Simic, a protester. “This motion is for a extra democratic Serbia, the place corruption is not tolerated.”
Police deployed tons of of officers, and the town’s public transport was suspended to forestall extra individuals from reaching the protest.
As protesters gathered, violence erupted in some areas, with a automobile ramming into a bunch of demonstrators within the Zarkovo suburb, injuring three individuals. Moreover, there have been experiences of assaults on pupil activists in central Belgrade.
Nonetheless, nearly all of the protesters continued their march to the Nationwide Meeting, the place they held a second of silence for the victims of the Novi Unhappy collapse at precisely 11:52 a.m., the time of the tragedy. Many farmers, veterans, and different supporters joined the rally in solidarity, underscoring the widespread anger throughout Serbian society.
Because the protest unfolded, Vucic continued to face agency, rejecting requires a transitional authorities or early elections. “I’m not going to be pressured,” he declared in a televised handle. “I cannot let the streets set the foundations on this nation.” He additionally warned of a “remaining” confrontation, suggesting that Saturday’s rally may very well be a pivotal second within the ongoing battle between the federal government and its critics.
The protest on Saturday, whereas giant and important, is anticipated to be only one chapter in an ongoing wrestle for larger accountability and reform in Serbia.
Because the protests proceed, the way forward for the federal government and Vucic’s presidency hangs within the steadiness, with residents demanding an finish to corruption and a extra clear, democratic system.