Students in blockade are holding a protest in Valjevo on Thursday evening to mark one year since the police violence against demonstrators and citizens on the night of August 14–15, 2025.
Under the slogan “Valjevo Remembers,” protesters are expected to demand accountability not only for police officers accused of using excessive force, but also for those who may have ordered the actions.
The gathering is scheduled to begin outside the Valjevo Gymnasium at 7 p.m., with the main program expected to run from 8 to 9 p.m.
What happened in Valjevo a year ago?
Clashes between demonstrators and police took place in Valjevo between August 14 and 15, 2025, leaving a number of citizens injured. Videos of the incidents quickly circulated on social media.
According to the Students in Blockade, footage showed riot police using batons and physical force against citizens, including people who were already on the ground. One video that attracted particular public attention appeared to show a group of police officers surrounding a 15-year-old boy lying in the street.
Several injured citizens subsequently sought legal remedies. According to the legal team representing them, 27 people filed a criminal complaint in October against 28 police officers, as well as unidentified police personnel, over alleged unlawful conduct.
The Serbian government said responsibility for the incident should be established. In May 2026, the case was taken over by the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime.
The students say the anniversary protest is intended to keep the issue of accountability in the public spotlight.
“We are gathering in Valjevo not to forget what happened, but to remind everyone that responsibility must not depend on how much time has passed,” the students said, adding that they would remember those injured during the night and repeat the question that remains unanswered: who will be held responsible for the events of August 14, 2025?
The protest comes amid continued student-led demonstrations and broader political tensions in Serbia, where demands for institutional accountability have remained a central theme of the student movement.
