Tens of thousands of people have rallied across Serbia in one of the country’s largest anti-government demonstrations in years, as a student-led protest movement continues to challenge the government of President Aleksandar Vučić and demand early elections.
Tens of thousands gathered in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, on Saturday, with protesters filling central squares and streets while carrying banners and wearing shirts bearing the slogan “Students win.”
The demonstrations began after the deadly collapse of a renovated canopy at the railway station in Novi Sad in November 2024, which killed 16 people and triggered widespread anger over alleged corruption and lack of accountability in public infrastructure projects.
What started as a student-led anti-corruption movement has since grown into a nationwide campaign calling for political reform, greater media freedom, and an end to Vučić’s long rule. Critics accuse the Serbian government of weakening democratic institutions, silencing dissent, and concentrating power around the presidency.
The protests previously forced former Prime Minister Miloš Vučević to resign amid mounting public pressure for a transparent investigation into the Novi Sad disaster.
Students have remained at the forefront of the movement, organizing marches and rallies that have spread to hundreds of towns across Serbia over recent months.
Columns of vehicles carrying demonstrators arrived in Belgrade from across the country throughout the day, while Serbia’s state railway company cancelled train services to and from the capital in what protesters viewed as an attempt to limit turnout.
Speaking during the rally, protester Maja Milas Markovic praised the student movement for bringing together large numbers of people through “their youth and wonderful energy,” adding that citizens deserve “the right to live normally.”
Although much of the demonstration remained peaceful, tensions escalated later in the evening near the presidency building and outside a nearby park where supporters of Vučić have reportedly maintained a camp for months.
Sporadic clashes broke out between protesters and police, with some demonstrators throwing rocks, bottles, and flares. Riot police responded with tear gas, stun grenades, and pepper spray as officers pushed crowds away from government buildings. Protesters also set fire to rubbish bins during the unrest.
Authorities reportedly detained several people following the clashes.
Ahead of the march, concerns had grown over possible confrontations between anti-government demonstrators and groups loyal to Vučić, some of whom have previously been accused of intimidating and attacking student protesters.
Despite the tensions, the movement continues to draw broad public support. Analysts say the protests have become a wider expression of frustration over corruption, economic concerns, governance, and political freedoms in Serbia.
Vučić, who has been in power since 2012, said earlier this week that early parliamentary elections could potentially be held between September and November this year.
