Tens of thousands of demonstrators massed in central Belgrade on Saturday to renew calls for early elections, part of an anti-corruption movement that gained momentum after a deadly rail station disaster. Since the canopy collapse in November 2024 in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people, demands for a transparent investigation have escalated into a push for early polls.
Protesters fill Slavija Square
Yelling the movement's signature slogan, 'The students are winning,' to the din of drums and whistles, crowds streamed through the city to Slavija Square in the centre. Large banners hanging from trees, T-shirts, badges, and stickers also bore the slogan. As the rally broke up later Saturday, clashes erupted between demonstrators and police. Masked individuals threw stones, bottles, and firecrackers at police, who responded with tear gas. An AFP journalist witnessed several arrests, and gendarmes' vehicles kept crowds away from the presidential and parliament buildings.
Official responses
'All those who, this evening after the end of the public gathering at Slavija, attacked police officers who were securing the event will be identified and prosecuted in accordance with the law,' said a statement from the prosecutors' office. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic commented on Instagram: 'The scenes we witnessed tonight... are scenes that are not good for Serbia, scenes that have saddened every citizen of our country. They will not change anything with this.'
Call for change
Earlier Saturday, marchers gathered carrying Serbian flags or those representing their university faculties. Others who travelled from around the country held banners with the names of their towns. 'The goal of today's protest is for all of us to gather again and to make it clear to people that we are still here, that we are fighting and working, that we have not and will not stop,' said 24-year-old architecture student Andjela. Students in high-vis tops served as stewards, while war veterans and bikers were also present to protect the crowd. Police Chief Dragan Vasiljevic estimated the turnout at 34,000; no independent estimate was available.
'Today, a clear message is being sent,' said pensioner Zoran Savic. 'Change must come, Serbia must become a democratic state, the rule of law must be present for everyone, meaning the rule of law equally for everyone. And Serbia must be part of the democratic, European community.'
Election demand
The protests have not stopped since the Novi Sad disaster, with one demonstration in March 2025 bringing as many as 300,000 together. Students leading the movement hope Saturday's demonstration will relaunch their campaign to push nationalist President Vucic to call early elections. Vucic, who regularly raises the issue, suggested on Thursday that they could take place in autumn. While the protests have mostly passed peacefully, some have been marred by clashes in recent months, with several protesters saying they were attacked by masked government supporters. On Friday, the Council of Europe's human rights commissioner warned that Serbia's rights situation had worsened, citing attacks on activists and journalists, shrinking civic space, and alleged police abuses of protests.
'After a year and a half of protests, people have not given up and have not lost their strength,' said Ivan Milosavljevic, a demonstrator from eastern Serbia. 'The strength of the protests can be seen in the number of people here today. We will continue until this anti-people regime is removed.'
