A tense night unfolded in the Serbian capital as numerous students and activists were detained by police, sparking renewed concerns about state repression and the erosion of civil liberties under President Aleksandar Vučić’s government.
According to reports from N1 Belgrade, students from the Faculty of Philosophy, the Faculty of Technical Sciences (FTN), and the Faculty of Natural Sciences (PMF) were detained late Wednesday night. The Faculty of Law in Novi Sad confirmed on social media that at least three students were taken to the Vračar Police Station, though the police have not provided reasons for the arrests.
Activists Also Targeted
The civic group Budi heroj announced that activists Petar Holik and Sandra Adam, members of the “Bravo” organization from Novi Sad, were also detained.
Meanwhile, students from Gornji Milanovac reported that one of their colleagues was arrested in front of the RTS headquarters in Takovska Street. Witnesses say that police officers refused to disclose the grounds for the detention, although the student is reportedly represented by a lawyer and being held at the Zvezdara Police Department.
Protests Intensify Across Serbia
The arrests came just hours after supporters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) gathered in “Ćacilend,” while outside the area a large protest took place in support of Dijana Hrka, a mother who has been on hunger strike in front of the National Assembly since Sunday.
Hrka is demanding justice for her son and 15 other victims who died in the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, as well as the release of all detained students and the calling of new elections.
Mounting Pressure on Vučić
Observers say these arrests mark another escalation in the government’s crackdown on dissent, as Vučić’s administration increasingly turns state institutions against critical voices — from the media to student movements. Each new wave of repression, analysts warn, only fuels public anger and further erodes the legitimacy of the regime.
