Belgrade (EFE).- Serbian police used tear gas to break up a massive anti-government protest in central Belgrade on Saturday night, detaining at least seven demonstrators and leaving six officers injured, according to local news agency Beta.
The protest drew hundreds of thousands of people demanding early elections and the resignation of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, a nationalist-populist accused by critics of authoritarianism and ties to organized crime.
After repeated loudspeaker warnings, police began dispersing the crowd gathered near a central square, as seen in live footage broadcast by regional outlet N1.
Student movement at the core of nationwide uprising
The demonstration was organized by a student-led movement that has been active since Nov. 2024.
Protesters have occupied universities across Serbia for months, accusing the government of corruption and collusion with criminal networks.
Several students and public figures addressed the crowd, including Serbian basketball legend Dejan Bodiroga.
“Calling our youth, our children, terrorists while protecting the worst criminals, that’s their standard. But we reject that standard,” said Bodiroga, 52, a former Real Madrid and Barcelona player and current president of Euroleague Basketball.
Demonstrators delivered an open letter to the government, issuing an ultimatum for the calling of early parliamentary elections, a demand that remains unmet.
Vucic defiant amid mounting pressure
President Vucic, who has dominated Serbian politics since 2012, has repeatedly rejected calls for snap elections.
He has labeled the student protesters “terrorists” and dismissed the demonstrations as a foreign-backed “color revolution.”
The current wave of unrest was sparked by a deadly incident in Nov. 2024, when the roof of a newly renovated train station in Novi Sad collapsed, killing 16 people.
The project had been carried out by a Chinese construction company, fueling public outrage over corruption and negligence.
Opposition groups accuse Vucic of eroding democratic norms, silencing independent media, and tightening his grip on state institutions.
Saturday’s protest was one of the largest public mobilizations in Serbia in recent years. EFE
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