Blockades at universities, schools; “Stop, Serbia” protest held across the country

The collapse of a concrete canopy at the recently renovated Novi Sad train station on November 1 claimed 15 lives and left two others severely injured.

Meanwhile, university blockades continue to expand, with more than 40 faculties across four Serbian state universities now participating.

On Thursday evening, protesting university students gathered outside the Serbian state TV (RTS) headquarters, disrupting its evening news broadcast with noise. The demonstration aimed to highlight the broadcaster’s failure to cover their protests and challenge its claims that students are being paid to protest.

Student assemblies from all participating Belgrade University faculties maintain that their demands remain unmet, contradicting Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's statement that all student demands had been fulfilled and that the blockades should end.

The protests have spread to secondary education, with several high schools joining the movement.

Serbia’s oldest secondary institution, the First Grammar School in Kragujevac, became the first high school to support the university student protests. Its students walked out of classes on Wednesday afternoon in a show of solidarity with protesting university students.

On Friday, all high school students in Kragujevac held peaceful gatherings to honor the Novi Sad tragedy victims.

In Belgrade, seniors at the Belgrade Tenth Grammar School on Thursday decided to stop classes in support of the student protest. The Third Belgrade Grammar School has been under blockade since Friday morning. Its students participated alongside Fifth Belgrade Grammar School students in Friday’s “Stop, Serbia” action to pay tribute to those affected by the Novi Sad tragedy.