In the Serbian capital, Belgrade, a passenger car driver hit a group of students who, as part of their daily protest, stopped traffic for 15 minutes to honor the 15 victims of the Novi Sad tragedy. A seriously injured young woman was taken to hospital. The driver was detained.
On Thursday in Belgrade, during a 15-minute protest commemorating the victims of the Novi Sad tragedy, a 39-year-old driver hit a young woman. The moment of the accident was captured on video.
“The man was caught after escaping from the scene and was placed in temporary custody. He was charged with attempted murder with particular cruelty,” the prosecutor's office said. Minister of Internal Affairs Serbia Ivica Daczić announced that the perpetrator had already been convicted seven times for various crimes.
The hospital where the 20-year-old woman was admitted announced that she was in contact and her condition was considered stable. “Due to the injuries sustained, additional diagnostics are ongoing,” the statement said.
A driver hit a protest participant in Belgrade, SerbiaENEX
Attacks on protest participants
The EU delegation in Serbia wrote on
After the incident, thousands of students and residents of Belgrade blocked the intersection near the law faculty where the injured woman is a student as a sign of protest, and then moved towards the prosecutor's office. Those gathered chanted the slogan “you won't drive over us” and carried banners with the words “it could have been any of us” or “everyone on the roadblocks”.
On the night from Monday to Tuesday, a group of attackers attacked seven law students who were taking part in nationwide blockades of over 60 university faculties. The police detained four suspects who were placed in 48-hour pre-trial detention.
Protests after the tragedy in Novi Sad
The concrete part of the roof of the Novi Sad railway station collapsed on November 1, 2024, just a few months after the grand opening of the facility following a three-year renovation. The Higher Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad brought charges against 13 people, including former Minister of Construction Goran Vesic. The politician resigned a few days after the accident.
Serbs who have been protesting since the beginning of November are demanding political and criminal responsibility for the accident. Demonstrations with thousands of people are organized in the country, blocking transport hubs and universities. Most activities are initiated by student groups.
The students also demand that documentation regarding the reconstruction of the Novi Sad station be made public, that charges against people arrested and detained during the protests be dismissed, and that people who attacked demonstrators be held accountable.
Authorities claim that all demands have been met. In response to the political and social crisis, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced the organization of an advisory referendum on his dismissal. He stressed that if his resignation was voted on, he would adapt to the will of the majority.