Information
On Thursday evening, police in Serbia used tear gas to disperse anti-government protesters in at least two cities, Belgrade and Novi Sad, marking an escalation in months of unrest. In Novi Sad, demonstrators vandalised the headquarters of President Aleksandar Vucic’s ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) by smashing windows and covering the building in red paint. Riot police later sealed off parts of the city and clashed with protesters, while in Belgrade, hundreds of anti-government demonstrators and SNS supporters exchanged flares and firecrackers. The Serbian Interior Ministry reported five police officers injured and 14 protesters arrested that night, adding to dozens of arrests and injuries from previous days of nationwide protests.
The unrest stems from student-led demonstrations that began in November 2024 after a deadly railway station roof collapse in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people and was widely blamed on corruption. Protesters now demand early elections, accusing Vucic, who has led Serbia for over a decade, of authoritarian rule and fostering corruption. International concern has grown, with the EU’s Enlargement Commissioner calling the violence “deeply concerning” and urging protection of free expression, while UN human rights experts condemned what they described as a “troubling pattern of repression” involving intimidation, attacks, and unlawful arrests of peaceful demonstrators.
Source: AP, Reuters, AFP
So What
The police and government have cited a conflict between anti-government and pro-government supporters as a justification for their actions. However, it seems probable that the Serbian police are looking for a reason to suppress the protests entirely. Despite this crackdown, it is unlikely to completely end the protests, which may continue as early as this weekend. It is also possible that the police will continue to use this justification to apply increased force against demonstrators.
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