Chaos in Serbia: Tear Gas, Protests, and a President Under Fire
Serbian police clash with protesters demanding free elections and justice.
In the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad, riot police unleashed tear gas and charged at thousands of peaceful protesters on Friday, September 5, 2025, as public unrest over President Aleksandar Vucic’s autocratic governance reached a boiling point. The demonstrations, led primarily by university students, were sparked by a tragic incident 10 months ago when a concrete canopy collapsed at a local train station, claiming 16 lives. The disaster fueled widespread allegations of state corruption and negligence, which protesters cite as the root cause of the tragedy.
The protesters, chanting “We want elections” and “Vucic leave,” gathered around a university building recently seized by Vucic’s loyalists and police. Their demands include free media, early elections, and criminal prosecutions for those responsible for the canopy collapse. However, the response from authorities has been severe. Baton-wielding riot police, reinforced by anti-riot vehicles, dispersed the crowd with tear gas, stun grenades, and flares, enveloping Novi Sad’s streets in chaos. No immediate injuries were reported, though ambulances were seen navigating the city.
Vucic, who claims to be steering Serbia toward European Union integration, has dismissed the protesters as terrorists backed by Western influences, offering no evidence to support his allegations. His recent attendance at a summit in China alongside controversial leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, has further fueled public discontent. Meanwhile, the government’s crackdown has extended beyond the streets, with dozens of university professors, deans, and high school teachers sacked for supporting the protests and replaced by Vucic loyalists.
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The heavy-handed police intervention reflects an escalating response to the growing unrest. Despite mounting international criticism and reports of jailed and beaten protesters, Vucic has refused to schedule a snap parliamentary vote, a key demand of the demonstrators. The protests, now a nationwide movement, show no signs of abating as students and citizens vow to defend university autonomy and push for systemic change in Serbia’s governance.
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