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Protests in Serbia escalate: Police do not intervene!
Protests in Serbia are escalating: injuries, arrests and strong criticism of the government as a response to corruption and authoritarian actions.
Protests in Serbia escalate: Police do not intervene!
Anti-government protests are escalating in Serbia. According to a report by the Small newspaper the mood among the demonstrators is chaotic. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic announced that five police officers were injured and 14 protesters were arrested. President Aleksandar Vucic announced further arrests and criticized the police for insufficient intervention, particularly in Novi Sad.
Belgrade reporting on the Tanjug news agency shows that no police officers were present at the time of an attack on an SNS (Serbian Progressive Party) building. Government opponents are now demonstrating in over 30 cities in front of party headquarters, where they encounter police barriers and SNS supporters. The evening before, dozens of people were injured in clashes between demonstrators and pro-government forces.
Protracted unrest
The protests, which have been going on for over nine months, have their origins in a tragic incident: the collapse of a train station canopy in Novi Sad on November 1, 2024, in which 16 people died. Independent experts and opposition politicians blame the tragedy on alleged corruption and neglect by the Vucic government. In this context, protesters are demanding the government's resignation and new elections, while branding the government as corrupt and authoritarian.
The recent protests were fueled by physical attacks by SNS supporters on anti-government demonstrators in cities such as Vrbas and Backa Palanka. In these cases, the police did not intervene, which led to further discontent. Vucic himself described the protesters as “criminals” and announced that he would “clean up” the streets of them.
Is a change taking place?
With a clear picture of the tense situation and the challenges facing the Serbian government, the question remains whether the protests will calm down or whether the unrest will continue. A final solution seems far away at the moment while the population cries out for change.