Around 140,000 people protested in Serbia on Saturday, demanding early elections and maintaining pressure on the government after a student-led protest movement that has been shaking the country for over seven months.
Chanting “We want elections!” the crowd gathered from 18:00 at Belgrade’s largest square and spread into surrounding streets, waving Serbian flags and banners displaying the names of towns and villages.
Later in the evening, clashes erupted between groups of demonstrators, some armed with flares, and the police, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades. Such incidents have been rare since the protest movement began.
Police claimed in a statement that 36,000 people attended the rally, but AFP journalists and aerial images showed a significantly larger crowd.
An independent organisation estimated around 140,000 participants by late evening, making it one of the largest protests since the movement began, second only to a March 15 demonstration that drew 300,000 people.
The movement originated after the collapse of a concrete canopy at the Novi Sad railway station in the north on 1 November 2024, which killed 16 people, including two children.
The tragedy quickly became a rallying point for students, frustrated by the populist government’s perceived inaction, widely attributed to deep-rooted corruption. They have since established several demands, including an independent investigation and have been calling for early elections since May.
Although momentum appeared to wane after the massive March protest, students hope this recent show of strength will reinvigorate the movement. This week, they presented two demands to the president: dissolving Parliament and removing supporters camped outside the presidency since 12 April.
Aleksandar Vucic, the nationalistic right-wing leader, had been given until 21:00 this Saturday to respond to the students’ ultimatum. Meanwhile, the government has continued to pressure activists, with over ten arrests in recent days.
