Large crowds of students and citizens gathered on Saturday in Belgrade, Niš, and several other Serbian cities to mark one year since supporters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) attacked students of the Faculty of Dramatic Arts (FDU). The anniversary comes amid mounting frustration over what activists describe as a systemic failure of institutions, controlled by President Aleksandar Vučić’s government, to prosecute political violence.
Students of FDU called on citizens to join them in front of their faculty at 11:30 a.m., launching a major protest walk that passed several state institutions accused of remaining silent or complicit during last year’s violence.
Protest Expands Across Cities
While the central march took place in Belgrade, parallel protests were held in Niš and Sremska Mitrovica.
In Sremska Mitrovica, demonstrators marched from Ćira Milekić Square to the Palace of Justice, blocking the central intersection for an hour and holding a 16-minute memorial for the victims of the Novi Sad shelter collapse. The protest also expressed solidarity with local farmers facing misdemeanor charges over tractor blockades.
In Niš, despite heavy rain, citizens gathered for speeches and a silent 16-minute commemoration near the Delta shopping center. Students emphasized that a full year later, the government has “neither erased their will nor extinguished their fight for justice.”
“We will not stop until every demand is met, until justice becomes accessible to everyone—not a privilege of the politically protected,” a student speaker declared.
The march in Niš proceeded to local SNS headquarters, where a strong police presence—including officers in plain clothes—was noted.
Belgrade: March Through Institutions That “Chose to Stay Silent”
In Belgrade, the protest included a route through sites symbolizing institutional failure: the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, the Palace of Justice, municipal buildings, and RTS, the public broadcaster widely criticized for serving as a propaganda arm of the ruling party.
As students approached RTS, they played pre-recorded speeches condemning the broadcaster for deliberately ignoring the attacks and for failing to inform the public.
“RTS receives 11 billion dinars from citizens, yet refuses to report on violence against them. They have already lost the most important thing—public trust,” one message said.
Protesters also chanted “We want elections!”, demanding accountability for what they view as a deeply compromised political system.
A Year of Impunity
Speakers repeatedly highlighted that no meaningful justice has been achieved since the attacks. Although several perpetrators admitted guilt only after public pressure, no full trial has taken place.
Legal experts warn that the prosecution system remains heavily influenced by the executive, with many prosecutors afraid to act independently.
Former Belgrade Assembly president Zoran Alimpić stated:
“Prosecutors must show courage and apply the law without fear of this regime. Without punishment, violence becomes a message—and an invitation—for more violence.”
Passing Through “Ćacilend”
As the column passed the makeshift SNS supporter camp known as “Ćacilend”—a symbol of the regime’s attempts to counter student blockades—protesters chanted the names of victims of unsolved tragedies and individuals facing political persecution.
A Massive and Determined Crowd
Throughout the afternoon, tens of thousands crossed Branko’s Bridge, Bulevar Mihajla Pupina, and major city arteries, effectively blocking traffic across Belgrade. Actors from the National Theatre joined the march, marking the theatre’s 157th anniversary with a symbolic act of solidarity.
Students and professors stressed the symbolic importance of the day, calling it a reminder that citizens must “stand up and say enough” to state-backed intimidation.
A Message to the Regime
For many, the protests were not only a commemoration but a direct challenge to what they describe as a regime reliant on violence, intimidation, and institutional capture.
As one professor summarized:
“This government counts on our fear. Today shows they miscalculated.”
