In a dramatic escalation of public dissent, thousands of Serbians took to the streets on Sunday, June 29, erecting blockades across the capital, Belgrade, and other cities, including Novi Sad, in response to the arrests of anti-government protesters. The blockades, marked by metal fences, garbage containers, and a key bridge closure over the Sava River, were a direct reaction to the detention of dozens of demonstrators, primarily university students, following violent clashes with police during a massive rally the previous day. This surge of unrest, rooted in a tragic November 2024 railway station collapse in Novi Sad that killed 16 people, has evolved into a broader movement challenging President Aleksandar Vucic’s 12-year grip on power.
A Movement Sparked by Tragedy
The protests trace their origins to the catastrophic collapse of a newly renovated train station canopy in Novi Sad, Serbia’s second-largest city, on November 1, 2024. The incident, which claimed 16 lives, ignited widespread outrage as many attributed the disaster to systemic corruption and negligence in state infrastructure projects. Students, teachers, farmers, and workers rallied, accusing Vucic’s government of prioritizing political loyalty over public safety. By March 2025, the protests had spread to 400 cities and towns, with daily “Serbia, stop” traffic blockades symbolizing the 16 lives lost, held silently between 11:52 a.m. and 12:08 p.m.—the exact time of the collapse.
The movement, initially leaderless and student-driven, gained momentum through symbolic acts like silent marches, university blockades, and even a protest biking race from Belgrade to Strasbourg. On Saturday, June 28, 2025, an estimated 140,000 to 325,000 people gathered in Belgrade’s Slavija Square, marking one of the largest protests in Serbia’s modern history. The rally, coinciding with St. Vitus Day, a significant cultural date, saw protesters chanting “We want elections!” and declaring Vucic’s government “illegitimate.” Organizers issued an ultimatum for snap parliamentary elections by 9 p.m., a demand Vucic rejected outright.
Clashes and Crackdowns
Tensions boiled over after the rally’s official conclusion, as some protesters confronted Vucic’s supporters, who had been bused into Belgrade and were camped near government buildings, wearing T-shirts proclaiming “We won’t give up Serbia.” The situation escalated when demonstrators threw bottles, rocks, and flares at police, who responded with pepper spray, batons, stun grenades, and tear gas. According to Serbia’s Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, 48 officers and 22 protesters were injured, with 77 people detained, 38 of whom remained in custody by Sunday, facing charges ranging from attacking police to plotting to overthrow the government. Eight additional arrests were reported that day.
President Vucic, speaking at a press conference on Sunday, condemned the protesters as “terrorists” intent on spurring bloodshed and singled out University of Belgrade’s head dean, Vladan Djokic, for participating in the rally. “There will be more arrests,” Vucic vowed, accusing organizers of inciting violence and alleging, without evidence, that foreign powers were orchestrating a coup. He praised the police for their restraint, claiming, “Serbia won. You cannot destroy Serbia with violence.”
In response, protesters in Belgrade and beyond intensified their actions. On Sunday, they blocked key streets and a major bridge in the capital, while in Novi Sad, demonstrators pelted the offices of Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party with eggs. Similar blockades were reported in smaller cities, signaling a nationwide rejection of the government’s crackdown.
A Broader Call for Accountability
The protests reflect deep-seated frustration with Vucic’s rule, which critics argue has grown increasingly authoritarian since he assumed power in 2012, first as deputy prime minister, then as prime minister, and president since 2017. Accusations of stifling media freedoms, fostering corruption, and maintaining ties to organized crime have fueled public discontent. The Novi Sad tragedy, linked to a renovation project Vucic personally inaugurated in 2022, became a flashpoint for these grievances. Protesters demand not only accountability for the collapse but also transparent institutions and adherence to the rule of law.
The government has made some concessions, including charging over a dozen individuals in connection with the Novi Sad incident and accepting the resignations of former Prime Minister Milos Vucevic and two ministers. However, these steps have failed to quell the unrest, with protesters dismissing them as superficial. “We are here because we cannot take it anymore,” said student Darko Kovacevic at the June 28 rally. “We are mired in corruption.”
Vucic’s Defiance and Serbia’s Future
Vucic, whose second presidential term ends in 2027, has steadfastly refused calls for early elections, framing the protests as a Western-backed attempt to destabilize Serbia. His government’s tactics, including canceling public transport to limit rally attendance and deploying riot police around key sites, have drawn criticism for stifling dissent. Reports of alleged bomb threats halting train services and the barring of foreign journalists from entering Serbia have further intensified accusations of authoritarianism.
Despite the crackdowns, the protest movement shows no signs of abating. Organizers have called on citizens to “take freedom into your own hands,” signaling a potential escalation. The involvement of diverse groups—students, veterans, farmers, and even elite military brigades—underscores the movement’s broad appeal. As one protester, Sladjana Lojanovic, a farmer from Sid, told reporters, “Elections are the solution, but I don’t think he [Vucic] will go peacefully.”
Serbia, a candidate for European Union membership, finds itself at a crossroads. Vucic’s balancing act between Western aspirations and close ties with Russia and China complicates the nation’s path forward. The protests, now a national movement, challenge not only his leadership but the systemic issues that have long plagued Serbian governance. As the streets of Belgrade and Novi Sad remain tense, the question looms: will Serbia’s demand for change lead to reform, or will it deepen the divide between a defiant government and its people?