Thousands of university students protested outside Serbia’s Constitutional Court in Belgrade on Sunday to demand accountability for a deadly canopy collapse at the Novi Sad railway station in November that killed 15 individuals.
During the demonstration, the students, from state universities in Belgrade, Kragujevac, and Niš, stood in silence for 15 minutes to commemorate the 15 victims of the November 1 incident, which they attribute to corruption and negligence in public infrastructure projects.
Today, anti-govt protests led by 🇷🇸 Serbian students take place in front of the Constitutional Court in Belgrade.
Protesters want to highlight which articles of the country’s constitution have been violated by the Vucic regime since the Novi Sad railway station disaster. pic.twitter.com/SG2NZ6E6B5
— Jakub Bielamowicz (@KubaBielamowicz) January 12, 2025
Protesters demanded the release of all documents related to the renovation of the Novi Sad railway station, where the concrete canopy collapse occurred, and criminal prosecution of those responsible.
The Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse killed 14 people instantly, with one more succumbing to injuries later. Three others were seriously injured. The canopy, part of a station renovated twice in recent years under contracts with Chinese state companies, was reportedly poorly constructed, leading many to suspect corruption and nepotism as contributing factors.
🇷🇸 Yesterday’s protests.
Serbian students demand a fair trial in the case of the collapse of the roof of the Novi Sad train station. Photos from the scene. pic.twitter.com/WEyKXCQWT4
— Маrina Wolf (@volkova_ma57183) January 12, 2025
The student-led protests have drawn tens of thousands of supporters, representing the most significant challenge to President Aleksandar Vučić’s 13-year rule. Critics accuse the president of eroding democratic freedoms while consolidating authority.
In a televised address, Vučić dismissed the protests as “stupid” and accused Western powers of funding the demonstrations. He reiterated that he would step down only on his terms.
Prosecutors have already charged 13 people in connection with the train station canopy collapse, including a government minister and several state officials.
