Serbia’s capital Belgrade was gripped by protests on Sunday as tens of thousands of Serbians gathered to demand action over a deadly train station accident that killed 15 people. The protesters, led by university students and farmer unions, blame the government and President Aleksandar Vucic for the accident.
The rally, one of the largest in recent years, took place in Belgrade’s Slavija Square and featured a 15-minute silence to honor the victims. Protesters shouted “Vucic, thief!” and held up banners reading “We are all under the canopy” and “You have blood on your hands.”
Many are demanding Vucic’s resignation, as well as that of the mayor of Novi Sad city. They also want those found responsible for the accident to be prosecuted and prosecution against protesters dropped.
The protests come amid growing discontent with Vucic’s rule, which has faced accusations of curbing democratic freedoms rather than advancing them. The government has offered subsidies to calm the protests, but many remain unsatisfied.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/22/thousands-protest-in-serbia-as-anger-mounts-over-train-station-accident