Thousands of protesters gathered in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad on Friday to demand early elections, but the rally was forcibly dispersed by police using tear gas.
The demonstrators, critical of authoritarian President Aleksandar Vucic, have been staging protests nationwide since November. The movement began after the deadly collapse of a concrete awning at Novi Sad’s train station, an incident that claimed 16 lives.
Protesters accuse authorities of corruption linked to the tragedy and are calling for a transparent investigation alongside their demand for snap elections.
While the protests initially remained peaceful, tensions have escalated into violence. Protesters blame what they see as heavy-handed police tactics and government loyalists for provoking the unrest.
During Friday’s rally, demonstrators threw projectiles at police, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the crowd.
