Tensions escalated on Wednesday evening in Novi Sad, where students and citizens clashed with police in front of the Faculty of Philosophy, following the violent eviction of students who had been blocking the building for the past nine months.
According to reports from the scene, police used tear gas, pepper spray, and shock bombs to disperse demonstrators. Several people sustained minor injuries. Citizens attempted to re-enter the faculty but were stopped by heavily equipped police forces and gendarmerie.
Key Incidents During the Protest
- Heavy Police Presence: Already by the afternoon (15:00), a police cordon was set at the entrance of the Faculty, with officers also deployed inside the building. Later in the evening, additional special forces and armored vans (“marice”) arrived.
- First Clashes (22:30–22:40): Citizens and students attempted to approach the faculty entrance. Police responded with pushing, shields, and pepper spray. Several were lightly injured.
- Use of Force Escalates: Police then used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the crowd. Protesters were pushed back toward the Rectorate and nearby park.
- Professors and Veterans in the Front Line: Eyewitnesses report that university professors and war veterans stood in the first rows, demanding that police withdraw and allow students entry.
- Public Reactions:
- Student Demands: The movement insists on the withdrawal of police from university grounds, free access for students and staff, and a guarantee that no disciplinary actions will be initiated against those involved in the blockade.
Background
Students of the Faculty of Philosophy had been blocking the institution for months, demanding more democratic academic practices, transparency, and the protection of university autonomy. Their blockade ended violently when police expelled them from the building on the dean’s orders.
More than 120 professors and faculty staff condemned the intervention and the eviction of students, stressing that “exams cannot be conducted under conditions of threats and repression.”
Broader Significance
The events in Novi Sad are quickly becoming a symbol of the wider struggle for academic freedom in Serbia, with professors, students, and citizens uniting against what they describe as state repression and the militarization of universities.
