Violent confrontations between law enforcement and demonstrators broke out in Serbia’s capital Saturday as massive crowds gathered demanding immediate elections and calling for President Aleksandar Vucic to step down after more than ten years in power.
Tens of thousands of people packed Slavija Square, a major intersection in Belgrade, continuing a wave of unrest that began 18 months ago following a fatal building collapse that sparked a student-driven campaign against alleged government corruption and poor oversight.
Riot police surrounded Belgrade’s city hall, located about a kilometer from the demonstration site, before scattered confrontations erupted between demonstrators and officers near the presidential complex and outside a park where Vucic’s backers have maintained an encampment since March of last year.
Law enforcement deployed teargas and stun grenades while forcing protesters back down the street. Demonstrators responded by igniting trash-filled containers.
Numerous rally participants displayed pins featuring red handprints with the message “Your hands are bloody,” while carrying signs declaring “The students are winning.”
The anti-establishment demonstrations began following the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, a northern Serbian city, on November 1, 2024. Opposition figures, demonstrators, and civil rights organizations claim the incident reflects widespread governmental incompetence.
Vucic and his political allies reject claims of corruption and suppression of dissent, stating they have pursued accountability for those responsible for the building failure.
Speaking to the enthusiastic crowd before violence erupted Saturday, Mirjana Nikolic, who serves as rector at Belgrade’s University of Arts, declared: “This government is … afraid of those who are defending their dignity and their rights.”
Law enforcement officials estimated attendance at the square and nearby streets at 34,300 people. However, the Archive of Public Gatherings, an organization that tracks public demonstrations, calculated participation at approximately 100,000.
“I came here to show how many of us there are, how many unhappy citizens are and that it is a high time to organise election to make things better,” said Dragan Djuric, a 55-year-old farmer from the town of Sabac who attended the demonstration.
