Overview

• The protest, led by students and supported by farmers, teachers, and other civilians, follows months of demonstrations sparked by a deadly train station collapse in Novi Sad blamed on government corruption.
• President Aleksandar Vucic has warned of potential violence and threatened arrests, while his supporters, including ultranationalist groups, have organized counter-protests in Belgrade.
• Authorities have taken measures to deter attendance, including detaining activists, halting intercity train services citing a bomb scare, and canceling bus routes to the capital.
• The European Union and United Nations have called for calm, emphasizing the importance of peaceful assembly and the protection of human rights during the demonstrations.
• Serbia's ongoing protests highlight dissatisfaction with Vucic's administration, which has been accused of stifling democratic freedoms while pursuing closer ties with Russia and China.