Police deployed tear gas and other measures to disperse protesters opposing the government in the Serbian city of Novi Sad on Friday, as thousands continue to demand early elections.
The September 5 protest is part of a series of demonstrations led by students in Serbia, who are protesting government mismanagement.
The protests were triggered by the collapse of a concrete roof at Novi Sad railway station in November last year, which killed 16 people. Protesters are demanding political and criminal accountability for the incident.
They allege corruption in the station’s reconstruction project and have increasingly called for early elections.
The demonstrations had been largely peaceful until mid-August, when protesters accused police officials of harsh tactics against participants.
During Friday’s protest, calls for early elections were repeated.
Some Serbian news agencies reported that protesters threw bottles and other objects at the police.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić accused the protesters of attempting to “threaten Serbia’s stability and security” and “seize university buildings in Novi Sad.”
He stated at a press conference that 11 police officers were injured at the entrance to the Faculty of Philosophy.
According to him, dozens of people were arrested, and some will be held in custody.
“People in Serbia must know that the state is stronger than anyone, and it will always be so,” Vučić said, warning that pro-government marches would be organized on Sunday.
On Monday, thousands marched in Belgrade, Novi Sad, and other cities to mark 10 months since the Novi Sad tragedy.
Vučić rejected calls for early elections, accusing the protesters of being influenced by external factors. His party, the Serbian Progressive Party, has been in power since 2012.
