Clashes in Belgrade as student-led protests demand elections | Police News

Clashes have erupted between protesters and anti-government police after an anti-government rally in Belgrade, Serbia.

A large crowd of protesters arrived in central Belgrade on Saturday, many carrying placards and wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the words “Students win” from the youth group that organized the rally.

Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vucic, has tried to spark mass protests against his strict rule in the Balkan country. The growth of those who came on Saturday showed that the tension was stronger than a year since the protests began when the demonstrations sought to answer the crime that happened at a train station in northern Serbia in November 2024 that killed 16 people.

Anti-corruption protests forced former Prime Minister Milos Vucevic to resign in January 2025 before authorities began cracking down on the group. Many in Serbia blamed the collapse of the concrete ceiling on the media due to the neglect of corruption in the renovation work carried out by Chinese companies.

On Saturday, Serbia’s state-owned railway company canceled all trains to and from Belgrade in what appeared to be an attempt to prevent some people traveling to the capital from other parts of the country.

In a video posted on Instagram on Saturday, the president said the protesters “have shown violence and that they cannot stand up to political opponents”. Vucic, who was on his way to China to visit the government, added: “The government is working and will continue to work according to the law.”

Students on Saturday demanded early elections and a constitution, accusing the government of crime and corruption. They say they now want to challenge Vucic in this year’s elections, which they hope will oust his right-wing populist government. Vucic said on Thursday that parliamentary elections could be held between September and November.

Clashes were first reported near a park camp of Vucic supporters outside the Serbian president’s residence. The camp was established before a large anti-government rally last March as a public shield for the opposition. House music rang out in the walled area surrounding riot police in full armor.

Serbia’s president has come under international scrutiny for his tough crackdown on protests over the past year, including arbitrary arrests and excessive use of force. The head of the Council of Europe’s human rights body, Michael O’Flaherty, criticized the Serbian government in a report after visiting the country last week and said he would “closely monitor the situation”.

O’Flaherty also referred to “reports of police protection that are anonymous and often cover up journalists and protesters”. He also said that human rights have worsened since his visit in April 2025.

Serbia wants to join the European Union while promoting closer ties with Russia and China. The backsliding of democracy under Vucic could cost the country about 1.5 billion euros ($1.8bn) in EU funding, the bloc’s enlargement chief warned last month.