SNS premises attacked with stones; Vučić: We will pursue much more, faster, stronger, we will not ask anyone from outside

During an anti-government protest in Belgrade on Monday, the Gendarmerie intervened with tear gas, pushing back demonstrators after some masked individuals threw stones at the offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) on Cvijićeva Street.

Anti-government protests were held in several cities in Serbia for the seventh night in a row in reaction to the police's treatment of protesters demanding responsibility for the deaths of 16 people in the collapse of the concrete canopy of the Novi Sad Railway Station on November 1, 2024.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who comes from the SNS, said "we will free the country from this terror and evil" during a tour of the sergeant's dilapidated premises.

"We will pursue much more, much faster, much stronger. We will not ask anyone outside or seek permission," he added.

He added "we will always lend a hand to them, but it is difficult to lend a hand to those who do this."

Vučić repeated his assessment, without providing any details or evidence, that an attempt at a "colored revolution" is underway, as the authorities have labeled the anti-government demonstrations of the past nine and a half months following the collapse of a canopy in Novi Sad.

Responding to a question from Russian journalists, Vučić said that the attempted "color revolution" was organized and paid for from outside the country, adding that the Russian Foreign Ministry "correctly concluded that this was an attempted color revolution."

Previously, a small group of government supporters were outside the premises, chanting "Aco, Serbs" in support of Vučić.

In Belgrade, protests were held at two locations, gatherings began in New Belgrade and in the city center near the Vuk Monument, from where protest walks began.

Those gathered in New Belgrade were joined by citizens of the Belgrade municipality of Zemun to head to Branko's Bridge, which connects New Belgrade with the old part of the city, and then returned to Zemun, ending the protest.

During the evening, some deputies and ministers of the Serbian Progressive Party came in front of the Serbian Parliament to support students who want to study, announced Minister of Finance Siniša Mali.

In front of the Serbian Parliament are a dozen white tents with SNS supporters, while in Pioneer Park, there are members of the "Student 2.0" association who call themselves "students who want to learn."

Protests in several cities across Serbia

Protests were also held in Kragujevac, Požega, Sremska Mitrovica, Novi Pazar, Srbobran, Požarevac and other cities.

Students and citizens of Novi Pazar blocked the main road that leads through this city to Montenegro as a sign of support and solidarity with citizens beaten and arrested during protests in other cities, the Beta agency reported.

Last week's protests were marked by clashes between police and supporters of the ruling SNS with demonstrators.

The daily gatherings of demonstrators are a reaction to the protests in the Vojvodina towns of Vrbas and Bačka Palanka on August 12, when government supporters attacked demonstrators with pyrotechnics.

The riot was also sparked by the actions of the police that day, who were accused by protesters of doing nothing to prevent the attacks.

Two days later, fierce clashes broke out in Valjevo, in western Serbia.

Then the SNS premises were demolished and the building housing the Higher and Basic Public Prosecutor's Offices and the Misdemeanor Court was attacked.

Protest organizers accused the police of "brutality and repression against citizens."

Vučić announced on August 17 that in the next "three or four days, the state will implement surprising decisions" in response to anti-government protests, without providing further details.

Mass protests have been ongoing in Serbia since November due to the collapse of the concrete canopy of the Novi Sad Railway Station, which killed 16 people and seriously injured one.

The students insist on establishing criminal and political responsibility, and to these demands they have added the calling of early parliamentary elections.