With fireworks, a red carpet, and symbolic medals, last night, Belgrade students on the blockade and citizens supporting them welcomed their colleagues from other cities in Serbia to Terazije ahead of a mass protest announced for today in Belgrade.
The same treatment was given to bikers, cyclists and excavators from various parts of Serbia who arrived in the center of Belgrade. Last night, citizens, pupils and students from Niš, Kragujevac, Subotica, Vršac, Čačak, Valjevo, Loznica, Jagodina arrived in the center of the Serbian capital...
"Pumpaj", one of the slogans of the protest, was shouted by a river of people all the way from the Slavija roundabout to the Republic Square. With the first step onto the carpet, numerous young people, visibly exhausted, took off their shoes and through tears, laughter, enthusiasm and relief asked - "So where are you Belgraders?"
Students, citizens, and farmers paraded along several boutiques. On foot, on motorbikes, and on excavators, all the way to Republic Square, where they were greeted with service, drinks, food, first aid, and logistics for finding accommodation.
Although unplanned, large groups of citizens gathered on Terazije and in front of the National Assembly of Serbia until the early hours of the morning. The incident occurred in front of the technical faculties on Bulevar kralja Aleksandra.
As students of the blocked technical faculties announced on their Instagram account, at around one o'clock after midnight, an attack occurred in front of their faculty building, in which a student security guard and a professor of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering were injured.
"The attackers left after the incident, but there are indications that they were connected to a larger group that was seen entering the building across from the faculty. The police intervened and the situation was temporarily resolved," they wrote.
In the same announcement, last night at around 3:00 AM, they called on all citizens to gather in front of their faculty buildings to jointly protect the safety of students, professors, and all those present. The safety of students and professors must be a priority, they concluded.
On November 1, 2024, 15 people lost their lives in the collapse of a reconstructed railway station canopy in Novi Sad.
Shortly thereafter, students across Serbia blockaded faculties and universities, demanding accountability for their suffering. One of their demands was the publication of complete documentation on the reconstruction of the canopy.
Last night, world media also reported on the welcome of students coming to protest in Belgrade, and some even filmed the event live.
The mass protest announced for today will begin with the gathering of students and citizens at four locations, near Autokomanda, New Belgrade, Republic Square and King Aleksandar Boulevard, after which everyone will gather in front of the Serbian Parliament, opposite which there is still a fenced park of "students who want to learn".
Bonus video:
