A tense night unfolded in front of the Serbian National Assembly, where citizens gathered to support Dijana Hrka, the mother of Stefan Hrka, who died when a canopy collapsed at Novi Sad Railway Station in November 2024. Hrka, who has been on a hunger strike for several days, continues to demand justice for her son and accountability from authorities.
Throughout the evening, several incidents, arrests, and attacks on journalists were reported. Witnesses stated that pyrotechnics and bottles were thrown from the pro-government camp, commonly known as Ćacilend, toward citizens gathered in solidarity with Hrka. Despite visible police presence, officers reportedly failed to intervene in several confrontations.
Among the notable events:
- Two students from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts were detained and taken to the Savski Venac police station. Their parents were informed of their arrest only after 45 minutes.
- A journalist from the FoNet news agency, Marko Čonjagić, was attacked while reporting near the protest site.
- Members of the KRIK investigative network reported that their female colleague was physically assaulted and verbally harassed by individuals from Ćacilend.
- Former MP and SNS member Janko Langura sparked outrage by using ethnic slurs against demonstrators, calling them “Ustaše” and “Balije.”
Meanwhile, students marching from Novi Sad and Novi Pazar arrived in Belgrade to support Hrka, joining the crowd chanting “Dijana, Dijana!” and “We won’t give up!”. Parallel protests of solidarity took place in Novi Sad, Čačak, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Subotica, and Zrenjanin, where citizens held 17 minutes of silence in memory of the 16 victims of the Novi Sad tragedy.
President Aleksandar Vučić addressed the situation on national television, urging Hrka and others on hunger strike to stop, expressing condolences for her loss but warning against “political manipulation of grief.”
However, Hrka responded that she would not give up, accusing officials of failing to deliver justice despite previous promises.
Observers and activists have described the atmosphere around the National Assembly as deeply polarized, with loud nationalist music, heavy police presence, and growing frustration among demonstrators. Psychologists have even characterized the blaring music directed at Hrka’s tent as a form of psychological pressure.
Despite emotional strain and rising tensions, Hrka reaffirmed late in the evening:
“Tell Vučić and Dačić that they will not break me.”
