KRAGUJEVAC – Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Kragujevac on Saturday, blocking the city’s main boulevard in a growing wave of student-led protests following last November’s deadly train station roof collapse.
The movement, spearheaded by university students, has already led to the resignation of several top officials, including Prime Minister Milos Vucevic in late January.
Marking Serbia’s national Statehood Day, protesters demanded government accountability and systemic reforms. They waved flags emblazoned with bloody handprints—now a symbol of the movement—while chanting against corruption and negligence.
This demonstration follows similar large-scale protests in Belgrade and Novi Sad. The November disaster in Novi Sad, which claimed 15 lives after a recently renovated station roof collapsed, has intensified public outrage over alleged corruption and lack of oversight.
At exactly 10:52 GMT, the moment the tragedy occurred, protesters observed 15 minutes of silence to honor the victims.
The blockade was set to continue past midnight, aligning with the anniversary of Serbia’s first constitution in 1835, once regarded as one of Europe’s most progressive.
Nikola Knezevic, a 25-year-old chemistry student from Belgrade, emphasized the significance of expanding the protests beyond the capital to amplify their impact.
