International
Anti-government protests, taking place since November over the Novi Sad deaths, erupted over the weekend with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets
By Tomáš Tengely-Evans
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Monday 17 March 2025
Issue
Huge protest on the streets of Belgrave, Serbia, on Saturday
Hundreds of thousands of people descended on Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, last Saturday.
At least 325,000 people turned out to demand justice for the victims of a railway station disaster—making it the largest protest in the country’s history. That’s roughly equivalent of two million people on a demonstration in London.
Almost 200 tonnes of concrete crushed 15 people in Novi Sad last November when the canopy at the front of the railway station collapsed.
The movement forced the resignation of prime minister Milos Vucevic last month, but president Aleksandar Vucic is clinging on.
“We’re making progress,” a student representing Belgrade University’s philosophy faculty said on the Belgrade demonstration.
“But at this point none of our demands have been met completely.” Another student added, “A couple of politicians have resigned from their offices, but they weren’t fired.
“We’re yet to see anything but empty promises.” Students have been at the heart of the mass movement, organising assemblies on their campuses. It has pulled in people from across the country, including agricultural workers.
Ahead of the demonstration, pro-government motorbike riders tried to face off against tractors that had surrounded a small camp of Vucic supporters. A parade of military veterans arrived and said they would perform citizens arrests on anyone who attacked the students.
The mass movement is driven by a widespread anger against those at the top of society.
“Everybody’s cup was already filled with resentment at the government,” researcher and journalist Iskra Krstic told Socialist Worker last month.
“The railway station disaster turned out to be the last drop.
“Vucic has been in power effectively since 2012. Members of the ruling party and businessmen close to the regime have been taking away people’s homes and land, exploiting young girls and launching smear campaigns.
“The country’s institutions and resources are being sacrificed to foreign corporations and domestic looters all in the name of ‘progress’.”