Belgrade: Students demand objective information, banner "RTS workers stand with students" unfurled from RTS building

Among the numerous banners were "Regime Television of Serbia", "You will fly on the hood too", "Serbia is burning and RTS is combing itself", "RTS -SNS"...

32419 views 14 comment(s)
Detail from the protest in front of RTS, Photo: Vijesti Reader
Detail from the protest in front of RTS, Photo: Vijesti Reader
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.
Ažurirano: 17.01.2025. 21:01h

Students in front of the Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) building tonight paid tribute to the victims of the accident in Novi Sad, where 1 people died on November 15st and two were seriously injured when a train station canopy collapsed, and then their demands were read.

The protest ended around 20:15 p.m.

With their mobile phone lights on, they paid tribute to the victims of the accident in silence for 15 minutes, a Beta news agency reporter reported.

Among the numerous banners were "Regime Television of Serbia", "You will fly on the hood too", "Serbia is burning and RTS is combing itself", "RTS -SNS"....

Since the beginning of the blockade of the faculty, students have been demanding political and criminal responsibility for the accident in Novi Sad, as well as the prosecution of all those who attacked academics and citizens during the gathering.

student protests in Belgrade
photo: Chitalac Vijesti

The number of people in Takovska and the surrounding streets is enormous, and mobile phone signals are weak and intermittent, a Beta agency reporter reported.

In addition to Takovska Street, parts of Kneza Miloša Street were also closed to traffic, in front of the Serbian Parliament, as well as part of King Aleksandar Boulevard where two police vehicles were parked near the Church of St. Mark.

Video: News Reader

Students protesting in front of the RTS building in downtown Belgrade had previously called on the Public Service Broadcasting Service to let them air "live" and for the management and journalists to come outside.

Those gathered chanted "You won't trample us," "Get out," and "Let us go live," and by whistling and making noise, they expressed their dissatisfaction with the work of this television station, which is paid for by all citizens of Serbia.

At the Children's Cultural Center, right next to the television building on Takovska Street, a large banner was spread out that read "You will not trample us."

Takovska Street, where the RTS building is located, was completely filled with protesters, who also filled the entire space in front of the entrance.

student protests in Belgrade
photo: Chitalac Vijesti

The protest is being held under the slogan "Our right to know everything" and several thousand students and citizens carrying student and Serbian flags gathered in front of the RTS building.

There are also banners reading "Build prisons, you can't all fit in", "It's not Serbian to be silent", "There are people and non-people. Students are people, and you?".

There is a large banner that says "Your right to know everything?", while the crowd, from the drum line, shouts "Alarm, general strike."

For now, there is no noticeable police presence on the streets, but there is a large number of student security guards, a Beta agency reporter reported.

Traffic has been stopped in front of RTS, where a truck with a loudspeaker is located, and those gathered are making noise by blowing vuvuzelas and whistles.

Video: News Reader

Students are expressing their dissatisfaction with the work of the Public Service Broadcasting Service, which is paid for by all citizens, by whistling and chanting.

The crowd is carrying banners demanding responsibility for the accident in Novi Sad, where 1 people died and two were seriously injured on November 15st.

They headed to Takovska Street, where the RTS headquarters are, from different directions, depending on where their faculties are located, chanting "Let's go to the program" and "Let's play us live."

Traffic was stopped on King Aleksandra Boulevard during the arrival of student columns, which were joined by citizens, a Beta agency reporter reported.

RTS reported live from the student protests

Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) reported live from the student protest in Takovska Street, where they are headquartered, this evening in their central news program, after the first news about the injured girl's health condition.

An RTS reporter joined the Second Daily to report directly from the protest, the Belgrade newspaper Danas reported.

He explained that students were protesting in front of RTS, dissatisfied with the reporting from the Public Service Broadcasting Service, and the program included one citizen from the protest.

A banner was unfurled from the RTS building, "RTS workers are with the students," and those gathered responded by chanting "Thank you for your support," according to the Danas newspaper website.

After that, RTS workers began to chant "General strike" along with students and citizens.

Bonus video: