Violent demonstrations in Serbia leave over 60 civilians and 16 police officers hurt
In the heart of Europe, the streets of Serbia's cities, Belgrade and Novi Sad, have been echoing with calls for change since November 2024. The spark that ignited these protests was a tragic incident - the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, which claimed the lives of 16 innocent lives[1][2][3].
The tragedy was seen as a symbol of corruption and negligence in state infrastructure projects, and it set off a wave of student-led demonstrations demanding snap elections and government accountability. However, what started as peaceful protests has evolved into daily clashes with police since August 2025[1].
The situation has been marked by allegations of police brutality, with videos showing detained protesters kneeling before police officers and reports of beatings further fuelling public outrage[1]. The confrontations between anti-government protesters and supporters of President Aleksandar Vučić’s ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) have led to dozens of injuries or detentions during clashes[1][2].
Despite the unrest, President Vučić has praised police conduct and claimed, without evidence, that the protests are Western-instigated attempts to overthrow his government[2].
The protests are not confined to Belgrade and Novi Sad. They have spread across Serbia, with the offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) becoming a focal point[4]. The number of protesters in Novi Sad reached 1695, while in Belgrade and its suburbs, there were 3084 protesters[5].
On the night of Thursday, more than 60 civilians were injured during protests in the cities of Belgrade and Novi Sad[6]. The authorities have responded by increasing the number of police on the streets and working to restore order in the affected cities[7].
The protesters' main demands remain snap elections and government accountability. As these protests represent the most serious challenge to Vučić’s rule in recent years[1][2][3], it remains to be seen how the government will respond to these calls for change.
References:
- BBC News
- Reuters
- Al Jazeera
- RIA Novosti
- B92
- Blic
- N1 Info
- The dramatic escalation of student-led protests in Serbia, initially sparked by the railway station canopy collapse in November 2024, has shifted from general-news headlines to crime-and-justice stories, as clashes with police resulting in injuries and detentions have become daily occurrences since August 2025.
- In an increasingly turbulent political landscape, the protests in Serbia, demanding snap elections and government accountability, have drawn attention not only to Belgrade and Novi Sad but also to other cities, creating a widespread general-news phenomenon that has become a significant point of interest in regional politics as well as crime-and-justice discussions.
