Protesters wave Serbian flags Saturday during the student-led rally in Belgrade, Serbia, while demanding accountability after 15 people lost their lives in the collapse of the Novi Sad Railway Station canopy in November 2024. Photo by Andrej Cukic/EPA-EFE
March 15 (UPI) — Public transportation is shut down in the Serbian capital of Belgrade as tens of thousands of protesters converge to oppose Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s government on Saturday.
The mass protest is the culmination of four months of protests against corruption during the 13th year of Vucic’s leadership in Serbia and caused the closure of all public transportation services as protesters flooded the capital city’s streets.
Protesters met at several locations during the morning hours and converged on Belgrade’s downtown area despite Vucic threatening to have protesters arrested and imprisoned, EuroNews reported.
They banged on drums and blew whistles and vuvuzela horns while marching and carrying banners, some of which read, “Pump It Up” and “He’s Finished.”
Many protesters are identified as university students and their supporters, who were spurred to protest against corruption following the collapse of a concrete canopy over a public train station that killed 15 in northern Serbia on Nov. 1.
Tens of thousands of protesters arrived in Belgrade Friday evening, many of whom walked and rode bicycles for several days.
They congregated in different parts of the city Saturday morning before moving to the protest locations in the city’s center.
At least one incident of violence has been reported due to the protest, but not by the protesters.
Local police reported arresting a man after he injured three people by ramming his car into a group of protesters in a suburb of Belgrade, The Guardian reported.
Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic also announced the arrests of 13 people during the overnight hours and six activists who are accused of plotting a coup against the government.
Hundreds of police officers were deployed to protect government buildings and the presidential palace.
The government also shut down all forms of public transportation to stop more people from joining the protests and for security reasons.
Vucic calls protests ‘undemocratic’
“As the President of the Republic, I do not accept undemocratic methods, plenums and assemblies,” Vucic said Friday in a Facebook post written in Serbian and translated to English.
“In my heart, I swore to love Serbia and our people and citizens,” Vucic said. “I will not allow anyone to destroy all the good we have done, and above all I will not allow them to destroy the future of this country, nor the youth of this country.”
The Serbian government also denied border crossings from Croatia and Slovenia for several news reporters who were told they would create a security risk if they attended the protest.
Vucic has blamed the intelligence services of Western nations for spurring nearly daily demonstrations led by student protesters over the past four months but has not provided evidence to support his claims.
U.S. Embassy cautions U.S. citizens in Belgrade
Officials at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade on Thursday issues a security alert warning U.S. citizens to be wary of pending “large protest actions” in Belgrade that might draw hundreds of thousands of protesters.
“Protests may spread across most of central Belgrade, especially areas near government institutions and the headquarters of public broadcaster RTS,” the U.S. Embassy security alert says.
“Police expect large crowds, traffic gridlock, closure of public services and heavily impacted essential services, including emergency medical services.”
The security alert cautions U.S. citizens to avoid the protest area if possible and to immediately leave the area if violence or disorderly crowds are encountered.
Those who might not be able to leave under such conditions should find a safe location and shelter in place, the security alert says.