In Belgrade and Novi Sad on Sunday evening, hundreds of anti-government protesters clashed with supporters of Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić; according to law enforcement authorities, at least 37 people were detained.
As Ukrinform reports, Reuters agencies corroborate the information.
During weekend protests in the Serbian capital and the city of Novi Sad, where a tragic partial roof collapse at the railway station occurred last year, protesters on both sides threw flares. In Novi Sad, precautionary measures restricted movement between the camps, and clashes between the sides escalated the situation.
On Sunday, protesters gathered near the Belgrade Parliament in support of a hunger strike started by Diana Hrka, whose son was among the 16 killed as a result of the Novi Sad incident.
Hrka and her supporters were kept behind a barrier that separated the Vučić supporters’ tent camp, who since March had been blocking the boulevard in front of the Parliament building.
In a Reuters video, it shows that police intervened and dispersed the crowd after the protesters began throwing flares. Additionally, Vučić’s supporters turned on music through loudspeakers, which enraged other demonstrators.
Chronicle of events and the authorities’ response
According to the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs, at least 37 people were detained on Monday.
As Ukrinform reported, on November 1, 2024, in the Serbian city of Novi Sad, part of the exterior roof at the railway station collapsed. More than 10 people were killed as a result.
Since then, anti-government protests led by students have been taking place in Serbia. Demonstrators attributed the tragedy to corruption, negligence, violations of safety rules in construction, and cronyism at the top of Serbia’s government.
On January 28, the Prime Minister of Serbia Miloš Vučić announced his resignation amid the protests.