Clashes between rival groups of protesters in Serbia left dozens injured overnight, as months of anti-government demonstrations boiled over into street violence for the second time. The protests, which began in November after a deadly collapse at a railway station, have been marked by violent confrontations between pro-government supporters and anti-government protesters.
In several cities across Serbia, protesters gathered late on Wednesday in response to an attack by ruling party supporters on demonstrators in the town of Vrbas. Pro-government supporters, mostly wearing masks, confronted protesters, hurling bottles, stones, and fireworks at each other.
Police arrested nearly 50 people across the country and about 30 riot police were injured. The worst violence was reported in parts of Belgrade and Novi Sad, where the protest movement first began.
A military police officer fired a pistol into the air near protesters, causing panic. Police intervened with teargas, and stun grenades could also be heard. Frustrated with government inaction, protesters have demanded an investigation into the Novi Sad tragedy and called on President Aleksandar Vučić to call early elections.
Over the past nine months, thousands of mostly peaceful student-led demonstrations have been held, attracting hundreds of thousands. However, this week’s violence marks a significant escalation, indicating the increasing strain on Vučić’s populist government, which has been in power for 13 years.
The government has responded to the protests with an “intensifying crackdown” on activists, according to UN human rights experts. Protesters and those linked to the movement have faced a “troubling pattern of repression,” including excessive police force, intimidation, and arbitrary arrest.
Vučić remains defiant, rejecting calls for early elections and denouncing the demonstrations as part of a foreign plot to overthrow him. Despite this, protesters continue to demand change, with students announcing further protests for Thursday night.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/14/serbia-protesters-clash-government-supporters-belgrade-novi-sad