Students hold protest rally outside Novi Sad courthouse

On Wednesday, streets across Serbia were blocked at 11:52 am – the exact time of the awning collapse – as people stood in silence for 15 minutes to honor the victims.

At the courthouse demonstration, protesters left bloody handprints and messages in red paint on the street, reading “Death Zone” and “Your Hands Are Bloody.”

“Seventy days have passed since the tragedy at the train station, and no one has been held accountable. We demand that the court and the public prosecutor act independently. We won't allow the executive branch to pressure them. We demand fair proceedings in all criminal cases related to the train station canopy,” said a Novi Sad Law School student at the protest.

Student protester Nadja Solaja emphasized their determination to ensure judicial action. “We are here to encourage the court to do its job. We want to awaken them, to make them hear us, and if needed, we will be even louder. They're not acting in accordance with the law – I think it's obvious what is happening, and we, the students, won't allow it.”

The students announced several upcoming protests, including a gathering outside the Security-Information Agency (BIA) offices on January 11 for what they described as a “friendly talk,” stating they have nothing to hide and are not afraid of the agency. They also plan to block the Mostar interchange in Belgrade on January 10.

A major demonstration is scheduled for Sunday, January 12, outside the Constitutional Court.

“We invite you to join the protest at 4 pm Sunday, January 12, outside the Constitutional Court to support us. In recent weeks, we have witnessed violations of the Constitution, which is why we have decided to gather symbolically in front of the Constitutional Court building and express our dissatisfaction,” the students’ statement read. They added that constitutional violations endanger everyone’s rights.

The university students, who have received support from nearly 3,500 university professors, called on high school students, education workers, farmers and members of the general public to join the protests, emphasizing their independence from all political parties and organizations.