Police, Protesters Clash in Belgrade as Anti-Government Movement Peaks
BELGRADE – Police clashed with tens of thousands of anti-government protesters in central Belgrade on Saturday, as demands for snap elections and the resignation of President Aleksandar Vucic escalated into violent confrontations.
More than 140,000 people flooded the streets, chanting “We want elections!” in what organizers say was the largest demonstration since protests began last December. Riot officers responded with tear gas and stun grenades as scuffles broke out near government buildings. Dozens of demonstrators were arrested.
The protests, led largely by students and supported by farmers, teachers, and opposition groups, erupted after the November 1 roof collapse at Novi Sad’s main railway station killed 16 people. Protesters blame entrenched corruption for the disaster, which prompted the prime minister to resign earlier this year.
The unrest on Saturday followed a Friday court announcement that five individuals were arrested for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government. President Vucic later accused the protesters of being backed by foreign powers, writing on Instagram, “They wanted to topple Serbia, and they have failed.”
A statement posted by protest organizers on social media after the rally blamed the government for the violence. “The authorities had all the mechanisms and all the time to meet the demands and prevent an escalation,” it read. “Instead, they opted for violence and repression against the people. Any radicalisation of the situation is their responsibility.”
Serbia’s police minister said officers would arrest anyone found responsible for violence and insisted the state would not tolerate “chaos in the streets.”
Sladjana Lojanovic, a 37-year-old farmer from the northern town of Sid, joined the protest in support of student activists. “The institutions have been usurped and there is a lot of corruption. Elections are the solution,” she said. “But I don’t think he [Vucic] will want to go peacefully.”
Vucic, now in his second presidential term set to end in 2027, has repeatedly dismissed calls for early elections. His ruling Progressive Party and its coalition partners currently control 156 of Serbia’s 250 parliamentary seats.
Opposition figures accuse Vucic of eroding democratic institutions, suppressing the media, and enabling links between government officials and organized crime networks. The administration denies all claims.
Serbia’s ties with Russia have further deepened tensions with Western nations. Belgrade has not joined the sanctions imposed on Moscow over the war in Ukraine, despite its ongoing bid for European Union membership.
As night fell over Belgrade, a rainbow formed over the protest site near Republic Square, moments after rain cleared. Organizers used the moment to issue one final rallying cry, urging Serbians to “take freedom into your own hands.”
