Serbian police clash with protest demonstrators on September 5. Image: AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic via Washington Post.
(The Post News) – On Friday night, an anti-government protest in Serbia turned violent when police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse university students in Novi Sad. The students were demanding snap elections in hopes of ousting President Aleksandar Vučić and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
At the state university campus, thousands of protesters carried signs saying, “We don’t want blockades, we want elections” and “Students demand elections now.” As tensions escalated in front of the philosophy faculty, protesters threw flares, and police countered with tear gas and stun grenades.
Serbia President Confirms the Injuries
In an address, President Vučić confirmed that 11 police officers were injured, though the number of protesters hurt was not revealed. He then emphasized that Serbia, as a “strong and responsible state,” would not tolerate any attempts to damage its institutions.
The protests in Novi Sad are part of months of nationwide anti-government demonstrations, initially triggered by the collapse of a recently renovated railway station roof last November, killing 16 people. In recent weeks, the demonstrations have turned violent, with more fed-up civilians and police showing up at protest sites.
The most recent protest took place on Monday, when thousands chanted “Vučić, leave!” outside the Serbian Progressive Party headquarters in Belgrade. Vučić accused foreign security services of instigating the unrest, while protesters claim he has obstructed the investigation into the suspected shoddy construction that caused the roof collapse.
Protesters have also accused the president of ties to organized crime and suppressing media freedoms, demanding early elections as a solution. Meanwhile, Vučić has rejected calls for snap elections, instead reshuffling his cabinet and announcing that his supporters would hold rallies across Serbia on Sunday.
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