Protests erupted in Novi Sad, Serbia after the collapse of a concrete canopy at the railway station that resulted in the death of 14 people. The protesters expressed their anger by throwing flares and red paint on the City Hall building, prompting police to respond with tear gas canisters. Despite calls for calm, the protesters broke windows, threw stones, and surrounded the building. President Aleksandar Vucic urged the people to refrain from violence, stating that those involved in the incidents would be punished.
Organizers of the protest called for the submission of demands to the City Hall building, with the main demand being that those responsible for the collapse of the canopy face justice. Some of the protesters attempting to enter the building were believed to be soccer hooligans associated with the populist government. Opposition politician Bojan Pajtic suggested that violence was being incited by provocateurs in an attempt to discredit peaceful protests against the government.
Earlier in the day, thousands of demonstrators marched through the city demanding the resignation of top officials, including President Vucic and Prime Minister Milos Vucevic. The protest began peacefully, with a moment of silence held for the victims of the collapse. However, some demonstrators turned violent, attacking the headquarters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party and vandalizing posters of the president and prime minister.
Critics of Serbia’s government blamed the disaster on corruption, lack of transparency, and poor construction practices during the renovation of the railway station. Surveillance footage captured the moment of the collapse, which occurred suddenly without warning. The resignation of Serbia’s construction minister was submitted in response to public pressure, and over 40 people have been questioned as part of a probe into the incident.
Opposition parties participating in the protest demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Vucevic and the public release of documentation listing all companies and individuals involved in the renovation project. The tragic incident claimed the life of a 6-year-old girl, with several others sustaining serious injuries. The train station had undergone renovations in recent years, but officials claimed that the collapsed canopy was not part of the renovation work, raising questions about its structural integrity.
Despite the protests and calls for accountability, concerns remain about the influence of populists in Serbia’s judicial system and police, potentially hindering the quest for justice for the victims and their families. The Novi Sad railway station, originally built in 1964, was renovated and inaugurated by President Vucic and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as a key stop on a planned fast train line between Belgrade and Budapest.
