BELGRADE, Serbia — In a powerful demonstration of dissent, tens of thousands gathered in downtown Belgrade on Saturday to protest against populist President Aleksandar Vucic and his administration. This rally marks the latest in a series of anti-corruption protests challenging Vucic’s 13-year reign.
The city resonated with the loud noise of whistles and vuvuzelas as protesters converged on various chosen sites. Many attendees held signs declaring, “He’s Finished!” while others chanted: “Pump it Up,” a slogan that has been popular throughout the four months of student-led demonstrations.
This event is considered possibly the largest anti-government rally ever seen in the Balkan nation.
“I believe this will undermine Vucic’s authority and show him that the public no longer supports him,” remarked Milenko Kovacevic, one of the demonstrators.
The tense atmosphere intensified as police reported the arrest of a man who drove his vehicle into a group of protesters in a Belgrade suburb, injuring three individuals.
Prior to the protest, Vucic warned of purported plans for disorder and threatened severe penalties for any disruptive activities.
In what appeared to be a move to discourage attendance at the protest, city transport in Belgrade was halted on Saturday, while long lines of vehicles clogged roads leading to the capital. The transportation authority cited “security reasons” for the cancellation.
Friday evening saw thousands gather jubilantly to welcome the students who had been trekking or cycling to Belgrade from across Serbia to participate in the main protest on Saturday. From early morning, people assembled in different areas of the city, preparing to march to the central rally point.
Concerns about potential clashes were heightened by the presence of Vucic’s supporters camped in central Belgrade near his headquarters. This group included former members of a notorious paramilitary unit linked to the 2003 assassination of Serbia’s first democratic Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, as well as known soccer hooligans with a history of violence.
Private N1 television broadcast images of numerous young men wearing baseball caps entering the pro-Vucic camp on Saturday.
Interior Minister Ivica Dacic stated to the state-run RTS broadcaster that 13 arrests had been made overnight but no major disturbances were reported on Friday. He noted that police had detained six opposition activists who were allegedly plotting to incite a coup and unrest on Saturday.
The nationwide anti-corruption movement has been predominantly driven by protesting students since a tragic train station accident on November 1, which resulted in 15 deaths in northern Serbia due to a collapsing concrete canopy.
Many blame the incident on rampant government corruption, negligence, and a lack of adherence to construction safety standards.
Vucic has accused Western intelligence groups of orchestrating the near-daily student protests as a means to remove him from power.
The students’ cause resonates with many citizens who are disenchanted with political figures and have lost trust in state institutions. Previous student-led protests in other Serbian cities have been peaceful, drawing substantial crowds.
