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March 16, 2025 | 02:39 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - More than 100,000 protesters flooded the capital of Serbia, Beograd, on Saturday in one of the largest demonstrations in decades. As reported by Reuters, the cold-weather demonstration was driven by students and workers who clashed with riot police and supporters of President Aleksandar Vucic.
Serbia has witnessed anti-government demonstrations for months following the deaths of 15 citizens in a train station roof collapse, triggering widespread allegations of corruption and negligence.
The protests have swelled with the entry of students, teachers, and farmers posing a major challenge to Vucic, a populist who has been in power for 12 years as prime minister or president.
"We will not let you rob our freedom," said a student in a series of speeches from a stage.
A security source and eyewitness estimated the crowd to be over 100,000 people.
The government denies the allegations of corruption and incompetence, and claims that Western intelligence agencies support the push to destabilize Serbia.
Although the protests mostly proceeded peacefully, Serbian police stated that a car hit a line of protesters, injuring three people, on the outskirts of Beograd. Meanwhile, a group of men attacked and injured a student and a university lecturer in the city center.
Police stated that they detained 13 individuals in the incidents last night and Saturday morning, including three men after an attack on a pro-Vucic farmer's tractor parked in a circle around Pionirski Park where Serbian government supporters camped.
FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE
Across the street from the park, hundreds of veterans from the elite military brigade with maroon red berets and motorcyclists, both allied with the students, marched as the parade took place between the parliament building and the nearby Slavija square.
Serbian students set up their own security guards, wearing neon yellow vests, between the police and protesters.
"Today we will show our dissent ... to show what we are fighting for. A normal country, a state of law, without corruption, lies, media pressure, persecution," said Aleksa Cvetanovic, a 23-year-old student who has been attending the demonstrations since December.
Beograd's streets were congested as the protesters maintained the festive atmosphere, turning on sirens and chanting their slogans "Pump it up."
The students demanded the release of documents regarding last year's train station disaster in the city of Novi Sad and accountability for those responsible.
Many had traveled hundreds of miles on foot or by bicycle.
Dozens of Beograd residents brought outdoor heaters for the protesters and offered them hot food. Grandmothers handed out biscuits and freshly baked pies to the students.
Prosecutors have charged 13 people over the Novi Sad disaster, and the government has announced an anti-corruption campaign. Prime Minister Milos Vucevic and two ministers have also resigned during the protests.
The protesters on Saturday also called for a new general strike in the coming days, although earlier calls failed to mobilize public service workers or many businesses.
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