Protests and blockades have resumed across Serbia today, with citizens responding to calls from student groups to disrupt major urban centers starting at 7:00 AM. “Traffic in the city? Belgrade in barricades,” students posted on Instagram, urging citizens to join blockades from 7 AM to 10 AM.
Early Morning Incidents in Belgrade
Early this morning, two incidents were reported at the blockade near the Faculty of Law in Belgrade. According to Nova.rs, a car broke through the blockade, carrying one participant on its hood. Shortly after, a vehicle from the “Atlas security” firm reportedly also breached the blockade.
In another development, citizens who had initially gathered at Republic Square—where police prevented their blockade—reached Brankova Street on Zeleni Venac. They briefly blocked the street before the Žandarmerija pushed them onto the sidewalk, normalizing traffic. Earlier, N1 reported that citizens briefly managed to block the intersection of Jurija Gagarina and Gandijeva Streets, but police quickly restored traffic flow.
Police Presence and Blockade Attempts
Police were deployed early this morning at various locations across Belgrade, anticipating and preventing planned blockades by citizen assemblies from different municipalities and neighborhoods, N1 reported. Members of the Palilula assembly attempted to block Bogoslovija but were stopped by police who arrived before 7 AM. Police also prevented a blockade of Republic Square, announced by the Stari Grad assembly, leading citizens to retreat towards Knez Mihailova Street and Kalemegdan.
Ongoing Protests and Past Incidents
Yesterday, parts of Belgrade were blocked, with the blockade in front of the Faculty of Law remaining peaceful overnight. Blockades in Novi Sad also proceeded without incident. A young man arrested in Užice yesterday was released, followed shortly by another man. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) issued a statement regarding the events in Užice.
Last night, demonstrators in Leskovac spoke out against the repression of educators and actors. Another protest march was held, at one point blocking the main thoroughfare on Boulevard oslobođenja.
Police yesterday prevented a blockade of the main road in Krćevac near Topola, as reported by Glas Šumadije. This blockade was called for by students and high schoolers from Topola and Aranđelovac.
In Belgrade, near Autokomanda, masked police officers last night prevented citizens from blocking the roundabout, allowing only controlled pedestrian crossings. In the evening hours in Novi Sad, Boulevard oslobođenja near the NIS building and the Liberty Bridge were blocked. Blockades on this Boulevard also occurred at intersections near Merkator, with Maksima Gorkog Street, near Futoška pijaca, near Aleksandrova zgrada, and near the Lottery. Danas also reported blockades in Novo Naselje near GSP, in Petrovaradin at the corner of Preradovićeva and Reljkovićeva, and Temerinska Street near Rode.