Belgrade Students Organize 80-Kilometer March to Protest in Novi Sad
Belgrade university students have announced a two-day march covering 80 kilometers to join their peers in Novi Sad for a bridge protest on February 1.
Commemorating Three Months Since Novi Sad Train Station Tragedy
The protest in Novi Sad will take place on all three bridges over the Danube, marking three months since the collapse of the recently reconstructed railway station canopy, which resulted in 15 deaths and two serious injuries.
Belgrade students will begin their march on Thursday morning, stopping at various locations along the way and spending the night in Inđija before reaching Novi Sad. A separate group of students, led by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (ETF), plans to cycle to Novi Sad on Friday.
“On February 1, we will all gather on the three bridges—some arriving by train, some on foot, and others by bicycle,” students posted on social media.
Novi Sad University students have confirmed that they will block all three bridges on February 1, coinciding with the city’s official day. They will be joined by students from Kragujevac on Saturday.
“We demand that those responsible face criminal charges,” stated students from the Faculty of Philology and Arts in Kragujevac for BBC Serbian.
Ongoing Student Protests Against the Government
This march follows the recent 24-hour blockade of Autokomanda, one of Belgrade’s busiest intersections, as part of escalating pressure on authorities to meet student demands.
For two months, students across Serbia have organized protests and road blockades, calling for accountability for the Novi Sad tragedy and the release of full documentation on the railway station’s reconstruction, which has undergone two renovations in recent years.
Every day at 11:52 AM—the exact time of the canopy collapse—students and citizens pause to honor the victims by blocking streets across Serbia.
The anti-government protests have gained momentum and are now held in nearly every city and town in the country.
March Route and Schedule
The march to Novi Sad will include several stops:
- A 15-minute tribute near the University of Criminal and Police Studies
- Stops in Batajnica, Nova Pazova, and Stara Pazova
- Overnight stay in Inđija, with the march resuming on Friday, January 31, at 8 AM
On the second day, the marchers will pause at:
- The turnoff for Maradik
- The Church of Blessed Mary on Čortanovački Road
- Sremski Karlovci
- Varadin Bridge
The group is expected to arrive at Novi Sad’s railway station around 7:30 PM on Friday.
Meanwhile, the cycling group will depart on Friday at 10 AM, stopping in Inđija before continuing to the railway station in Novi Sad.
