At least 100,000 people gathered in Belgrade at the call of students on Saturday for a massive rally against government corruption, marking the peak of months-long protests against Serbia’s populist President Aleksandar Vučić and his government.

Near-daily demonstrations since November last year, sparked by tragedy, have challenged Vučić’s firm grip on power in Serbia like never before in his 13 years in office.

Since then, students have been blocking their faculties, demanding justice for the victims of the canopy collapse at the Novi Sad railway station, where 15 people died and two were seriously injured. Many in Serbia blamed the incident on widespread government corruption, negligence, and disregard for construction safety regulations, demanding accountability.

Students argue that their demands have still not been met, even after four months.

They are demanding that all documentation related to the reconstruction be published and that those responsible be punished.

Saturday’s rally, called “15 for 15,” referenced both the protest date and the number of people killed in Novi Sad on November 1, 2024. In the evening, the crowd observed a one-minute silence to honor the victims.

Ahead of the demonstration, Vučić repeatedly warned of supposed plans for unrest, threatening arrests and severe sentences for any incidents.

One protester, Dejan Simić, is rallying for a more democratic Serbia, while another said, “This is just the beginning of the end, a process that I hope will conclude soon.”

The protests led to the fall of the government in late January, but the students believe that their demands have still not been met, which is why they are not giving up on blocking their faculties. The student rebellion has put the entire academic year in Serbia in question.

University students have been a driving force in the anti-corruption movement, demanding justice. Their determination has resonated with citizens disillusioned by politicians and who have lost faith in state institutions.

Video editor • Lucy Davalou