Opponents, supporters of government clash in Belgrade

(MENAFN) Supporters and opponents of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling SNS party clashed in Belgrade on Sunday, marking the first anniversary of a train station canopy collapse that killed 16 people and triggered nationwide protests, according to reports.

Many protesters, including university students, have been demanding accountability for the November 1, 2024, tragedy in Novi Sad and accusing the government of corruption and mismanagement. A crowd led by Dijana Hrka, whose son died in the collapse, gathered outside the Serbian parliament building.

Meanwhile, government supporters and students opposed to the protesters’ tactics of blocking universities rallied in Pionirski Park, where they have been camped out since March. Despite police efforts to keep the groups apart, sporadic clashes occurred, with bottles and firecrackers reportedly thrown. One person was arrested.

Serbia’s Interior Ministry blamed “an organized group” within the anti-government protesters for the violence, noting that a tent in Pionirski Park had been set on fire. Student blockade supporters countered that pro-SNS activists had initiated the throwing of projectiles.

President Vucic, who has repeatedly claimed that the protests were instigated from abroad, denied that his supporters were responsible for the clashes. “The blockaders can’t tolerate democracy or differing opinions,” he told news channel on Sunday. He also pointed out that several SNS offices have been set on fire since 2024.

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