Is Vucic encouraging violent demonstrations in Serbia?
In the heart of Europe, the Balkan nation of Serbia has been gripped by a wave of protests since late 2024. The movement, aimed at challenging President Aleksandar Vučić and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), has intensified significantly since mid-August 2025, with violent clashes between protesters and police becoming a common sight in cities across the country.
The violence erupted around August 12, with northern cities like Vrbas and Bačka Palanka seeing the most intense confrontations. These incidents sparked widespread protests in many Serbian cities, including the capital, Belgrade. Since then, the situation has deteriorated, with reports of police brutality against demonstrators and allegations of excessive force by the authorities.
Protesters have accused the police of beatings and detentions under harsh conditions. Videos circulating online show young detainees kneeling before police, fueling public outrage. The Interior Ministry has remained silent on these allegations, adding to the growing tension. Meanwhile, supporters of President Vučić’s SNS have been accused of attacking peaceful demonstrators, further intensifying the unrest.
The violence has also been linked to groups identified as government-linked hooligans or thugs, allegedly sent to provoke and confront protesters. These provocations have contributed to the turn of initially peaceful protests into violent confrontations, such as the vandalism of SNS party premises in Novi Sad, where protesters destroyed property and clashed with police.
President Vučić has condemned the protesters, warning of a possible state of emergency and labeling the unrest as an attack on the state. The situation has spread to smaller towns like Valjevo, where masked enforcers believed to be acting on behalf of the authorities looted businesses owned by government critics, and police violently cracked down on protesters, including minors.
Local protesters demand early elections and police accountability. Large crowd demonstrations continue in Belgrade, often met by riot police using batons and force to disperse protesters. As of late August 2025, protests remain intense and widespread, with at least dozens of arrests and police injuries reported, indicating ongoing violent confrontations.
The opposition and media in Serbia have alleged that the incidents were "orchestrated riots" and claim that the riots were carried out by government-hired thugs. The government, however, has not commented on these allegations directly.
The unrest in Serbia continues to unfold, with the future of President Vučić's leadership and the country's political landscape hanging in the balance. The situation remains volatile, with large ongoing demonstrations and a strong police response.
- The unrest in Serbia, encompassing war-and-conflicts-like confrontations between protesters and police, politics, and crime-and-justice issues such as allegations of police brutality, has escalated significantly since August 2025, dominating the headlines of general-news outlets.
- The volatility of the situation in Serbia, characterized by large-scale demonstrations, political tensions, and incidents of violence and crime, has raised concerns and sparked discussions in global politics and crime-and-justice circles.
