Anti-government protests in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad have vandalized the office of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), and clashes have broken out in the capital Belgrade between protesters, SNS supporters and police, Reuters reports.
Police and supporters of the SNS and populist President Aleksandar Vucic were nowhere to be seen in Novi Sad, Serbia’s second largest city. Meanwhile, dozens of opponents of the ruling party smashed windows of the party office, threw furniture and SNS paraphernalia outside and sprayed paint on the entrance. Protesters chanted “He is out,” a reference to Vucic’s 13-year rule.
Police later cordoned off several blocks in central Novi Sad and used tear gas to disperse the crowd.
The almost daily protests began in November 2024,
when the roof of a renovated train station in Novi Sad collapsed, killing 16 people. The protests have rocked the positions of Vucic and the SNS.
In Belgrade, hundreds of protesters and SNS supporters threw flammable objects and firecrackers at each other on the city’s main streets. Police chased away anti-government protesters and in the capital, crowds were also dispersed with tear gas.
Vucic vowed to make arrests after the protests, saying on live television that it was clear that the protesters did not want peace.
The opposition Freedom and Justice Party said that one of its members of parliament had been injured during the protests and taken to hospital. The party said in a statement that the incident showed the government’s and Vucic’s stance and attitude towards Serbia.
Protests are currently taking place across Serbia, with protesters blaming corruption for the tragedy at the Novi Sad train station. They want snap elections that could force the resignation of Vucic and his party. The current leader is accused of links to organized crime, violence against political opponents and curbing media freedom. The party denies the charges.
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