Multiple individual attacks on demonstrators and increasing unrest in the streets marked a turbulent week in Serbia. Here’s what DW’s reporter observed.
Despite freezing temperatures, over 50,000 students and citizens (according to the Public Assembly Archive) protested outside the RTS building in Belgrade. Under the slogan “Our Right to Know Everything,” the gathering expressed dissatisfaction with the public broadcaster’s coverage of the country’s issues.
The protest began with a 15-minute silence in memory of the 15 victims of the New Belgrade canopy collapse. During this silence, attendees amplified the moment with flashlight effects from their phones.
“Let us go live!” echoed through the crowd during the airing of the national news program.
Serbian tricolors waved among numerous banners, with the sound of whistles, vuvuzelas, and banging on pots resonating several kilometers away. The protest featured a giant sandwich model decorated with a €200 bill, aimed at RTS General Director Dragan Bujošević.
After the protest, students returned to their faculties, which have been entirely blocked since early December.
Isolated Attacks on Students
This was just one in a series of protests held across Serbia this week to denounce attacks on students participating in the blockades.
In Novi Sad, a man armed with a knife attacked demonstrators on Friday. The day before, during a 15-minute blockade, a first-year law student was hit by a car driven by M.P., sustaining multiple injuries.
On the night of January 13-14, a group of youths assaulted law students in Belgrade, hurling glass bottles and verbal insults.
Marko, a Student: “Corruption Motivates My Protest”
Marko, a University of Belgrade student, told DW that the attacks on future lawyers—whose faculty is integral in reviewing documents related to the Novi Sad tragedy—symbolize that their actions “must be making an impact, given the unjust and violent ways used to intimidate us.”
For Marko, corruption was the primary reason he joined the blockade a month ago.
“The canopy collapse may seem like just a drop in the ocean, but it exposes the full scale of systemic corruption. Institutional inaction only fuels student determination, giving us the motivation to continue,” the Belgrader explained.
Jovana, a Student: “I Feel Unsafe Everywhere”
Recent attacks have created an atmosphere of fear among Serbia’s citizens. Jovana Ilić, a student at the Faculty of Agriculture in Belgrade, said that insecurity is one of the reasons she persists with the blockades.
“I feel unsafe everywhere. That’s why our faculty’s slogan is ‘Rotten to the Core.’ We need systemic change. I want to stay in Serbia, build a family here, and my peers and I demand better living conditions,” Jovana told DW.
Solidarity, unity, and empathy, she said, restore hope that their struggle is not in vain. She described the pressures against protesters as a consequence of a “media blackout.”
Marko agreed, emphasizing that people without students or young family members often “don’t know what our goals are or why we’re fighting. It’s not their fault—they just haven’t been awakened.”
Parent Mirko: “Call Things What They Are”
While some students opposed to the blockades declined to comment, Mirko T., the father of a student, criticized the protests as increasingly politicized.
“If students are fighting for better living standards, science, and quality of life, I’ll always support them. But street blockades spilling onto public roads must be avoided for everyone’s safety,” he told DW.
He added: “Autonomy in classrooms doesn’t mean autonomy at public squares or RTS. If these protests aim to change the state apparatus—one I do not support—then that should be openly stated. But they also need to outline a plan for the day after. If they can’t, they shouldn’t be doing this.”
Political Scientist Stamenković: “Media Demonizes Students as Enemies of the State”
According to Viktor Stamenković, a doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade, state-aligned media narratives have emboldened citizens to act against students.
“By calling students foreign agents, traitors, or spies, and by justifying attacks against them, the government no longer needs to organize such aggression—disgruntled citizens will act on their behalf,” Stamenković said.
He believes that escalating violence ultimately harms the government, as it fosters sympathy for students among undecided voters.
General Strike Announced for January 24
Stamenković sees the resolution to this crisis as dependent on meeting at least some student demands. The extent of societal support, including the planned general strike on January 24, will be crucial.
“The government has placed itself in a precarious position. It will eventually need to yield to student and citizen demands while preserving its core power base,” he said.
However, “finding a balance between fulfilling demands and maintaining authority seems increasingly difficult,” he concluded.
Jovana: “This is Our Most Important Test”
Students remain determined, dismissing claims that protests disrupt their education as propaganda. They are willing to sacrifice a semester if necessary.
“We want to pass exams and graduate, but this is the most important test right now,” said Jovana.
Marko added: “Change has already begun. The more people join wholeheartedly, the easier it will be to achieve meaningful progress.”
Students vow to continue the blockades until their four demands are met:
- Release full documentation of the Novi Sad railway station reconstruction.
- Drop charges against arrested protesters.
- Prosecute attackers of students and professors.
- Increase the higher education budget by 20%.
