Police Break Up Violent Clashes Between Serbian Ruling Party Backers and Protesters

 

Police in Serbia intervened on Wednesday night to end violent clashes between supporters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and anti-government protesters in the northern city of Novi Sad. The confrontation marked a major escalation in nine months of nationwide demonstrations sparked by the deaths of 16 people when the roof of a renovated railway station collapsed in November. Protesters accuse President Aleksandar Vucic’s government of corruption, mismanagement, and ties to organised crime, which they say contributed to the tragedy.

Footage from N1 TV showed ruling party supporters throwing flares and firecrackers from the direction of SNS offices, with some protesters emerging with bloody injuries and claiming they were attacked with sticks and truncheons. President Vucic, speaking alongside Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, said 16 police officers and about 60 SNS supporters were injured, accusing unnamed foreign powers of trying to provoke chaos. Opposition groups, including the Move-Change movement, condemned the attacks, calling them a violation of the right to protest. The protests, led largely by students, have demanded early elections to end Vucic’s 13-year hold on power.

See also: (In US) English Actor and Comedian Michael Crawford to Be Honored at Kennedy Center by President Trump

The violence in Novi Sad came a day after similar incidents in the town of Vrbas, where protesters clashed with SNS supporters. In response, student leaders and opposition activists called for demonstrations outside SNS offices in major cities including Belgrade, Kragujevac, Cacak, and Nis. In Belgrade, police in riot gear blocked anti-government protesters from approaching a park near parliament where SNS supporters have camped since March, while elsewhere in the city, police stopped protesters from reaching local SNS offices.

President Vucic claimed that Wednesday night’s police intervention prevented a “catastrophic scenario” allegedly planned by forces outside Serbia. Reuters could not verify these claims. Opposition groups argue that the government is using such allegations to deflect attention from corruption scandals, accusations of media suppression, and alleged links to organised crime, all of which the president and his allies deny. The unrest comes amid a deepening political crisis in Serbia, with Vucic’s popularity shaken by the protests. Demonstrators say the government has failed to ensure safety, accountability, and transparency, and they are determined to keep up pressure for early elections. The situation remains tense, with no sign of compromise between the authorities and the protest movement.

See also: FedEx, UPS, DHL Face New India Antitrust Cross-Examination