- Anti-government protests in Serbia have turned violent after months of largely peaceful rallies.
- Clashes between protesters and government supporters left dozens injured across several cities.
- Demonstrators demand early elections and accountability over alleged corruption.
Serbia’s months-long student-led protests, sparked by a fatal train station canopy collapse in Novi Sad, escalated into violence this week. Demonstrators, accusing President Aleksandar Vucic’s administration of corruption and negligence, faced off with government supporters in multiple cities, including Vrbas, Novi Sad, and Nis.
While rallies had remained peaceful since November, recent counter-demonstrations by Vucic’s backers have heightened tensions. Protest leaders accuse the government of orchestrating these gatherings to provoke unrest, while officials blame protesters for initiating attacks.
Serbia’s Political Unrest Turns Violent Amid Student-Led Protests
The unrest began Tuesday evening in Vrbas, where demonstrators gathered outside the ruling Serbian Progressive Party’s offices. Tensions quickly escalated when government supporters reportedly hurled flares and rocks, prompting protesters to retaliate. Police separated the groups but not before injuries were reported on both sides.
Similar outbreaks of violence were reported in Backa Palanka, Novi Sad, and Nis, with smaller confrontations in the capital, Belgrade. Several individuals were detained, though accounts differ on who initiated the clashes. Opposition activists claim the incidents were premeditated, pointing to simultaneous flare-ups in different cities.
Protest momentum has been sustained by students and young activists who view the canopy collapse as a symbol of systemic corruption. Their demands extend beyond elections to calls for broader institutional reform and stronger transparency in infrastructure projects.
Serbia’s bid for EU membership hangs in the balance as the political climate worsens. Vucic’s close relationships with Russia and China further complicate his standing with European leaders, who are monitoring the situation closely for signs of democratic backsliding.
What began as a call for justice over a deadly accident has evolved into a nationwide confrontation over democracy, accountability, and Serbia’s political future.
“When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.” — Thomas Jefferson
