Clashes broke out between protesters and riot police in the Serbian capital Belgrade on Saturday after an anti-government rally. Thousands of demonstrators gathered in the city center, many carrying banners and wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the “Students win” slogan of the youth movement that organized the event.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has sought to rein in mass demonstrations that have challenged his hardline rule. The size of Saturday’s turnout suggested that dissent remains strong more than a year after protests first began, triggered by a train station tragedy in northern Serbia in November 2024 that killed 16 people.

Anti-corruption protests forced then-Prime Minister Milos Vucevic to resign in January 2025 before authorities moved to clamp down on the movement. Many in Serbia blame the concrete canopy collapse at the station on alleged corruption-fueled negligence during renovation work carried out with Chinese companies.

On Saturday, Serbia’s state railway company cancelled all trains to and from Belgrade in what appeared to be an effort to prevent people from traveling to the capital. In a video on Instagram, Vucic accused protesters of showing “violent nature” and said the state would continue to work in line with the law.

Students are demanding early elections and the rule of law, accusing the government of crime and corruption. They plan to challenge Vucic in this year’s elections. Vucic said parliamentary elections could be held between September and November.

Clashes were first reported near a camp of Vucic loyalists outside the presidency building. The Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner, Michael O’Flaherty, criticized the Serbian government and said he would monitor the situation closely. Democratic backsliding under Vucic could cost Serbia about €1.5 billion in EU funding.

Source: www.aljazeera.com