Dozens Detained as Anti-Government Protests Escalate in Serbia

Clashes erupted once again on Thursday evening as anti-government protests continued to gain momentum across Serbia. In the cities of Belgrade and Novi Sad, demonstrators clashed with police, leading to the use of tear gas to disperse crowds.

In Novi Sad, protesters targeted the offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), associated with President Aleksandar Vucic. Reports indicate that the protestors vandalized the party headquarters, damaging windows and splattering red paint on the building. The police, who had previously been guarding the site, were not present during the initial attack, according to news reports.

As tensions escalated, law enforcement in riot gear established a blockade in the center of Novi Sad, utilizing tear gas to control the crowd. Concurrently, in Belgrade, hundreds of protesters and SNS supporters engaged in confrontations, exchanging flares and firecrackers on one of the city's major thoroughfares.

Authorities reported that at least five police officers sustained injuries during the unrest, while 14 protesters were arrested. The Serbian interior ministry indicated that the previous night had seen protests at approximately 90 locations nationwide, resulting in nearly 50 additional arrests and injuries to around 80 civilians and 30 police officers.

The current wave of protests, which has been ongoing since November 2024, began in response to the tragic collapse of a railway station roof in Novi Sad that claimed 16 lives. Many citizens attribute the disaster to widespread corruption within the government. Demonstrators are now demanding that President Vucic call for early elections.

Vucic, who has led Serbia as both prime minister and president for over a decade, faces accusations of fostering an increasingly authoritarian regime amidst rampant corruption. Transparency International ranked Serbia 105th out of 180 countries in its 2024 corruption perception index.

In response to the protests, Vucic warned of further arrests, labeling the demonstrators as inciting violence and acting against their own nation. The European Union's Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, expressed concern over the violence, emphasizing the need for citizens to freely express their views and for journalists to operate without fear of intimidation.

In August, a group of United Nations human rights experts highlighted a troubling trend of repression in the government's handling of the protests, noting reports of intimidation, physical assaults, surveillance, and arrests of peaceful demonstrators, often without legal grounds.