For days, unrest in Belgrade had been anticipated. Pro-government media published students’ plans, including occupying institutions and other acts of violence.
The protest effectively began in the morning. Groups from various cities arrived in Belgrade, and citizen assemblies from all Belgrade municipalities marched on foot to Slavija square, where the so-called St. Vitus Protest officially began at 6 p.m.
Half an hour before the protest began, access to Slavija square was already blocked due to the crowd. The Ministry of Internal Affairs estimated that around 36,000 people had gathered at Slavija. In contrast, the Archive of Public Gatherings provided a preliminary estimate that during the moment of silence for those killed in the canopy collapse at Slavija, there were 140,000 people present, with a possible margin of error of about 10%.
Students Deem the Government Illegitimate, Give Citizens the “Green Light”
There were several speakers at the Slavija protest, including university professor Milo Lompar, Belgrade University rector Vladan Đokić, Košare battle veteran Dejan Bodiroga, Dragan Jovanović, and students. The national anthem was played. Although the protest was clearly ideologically right-leaning, the students concluded with a broader message and announced further action.
In the final speech, one student said that “elections are clearly the only means of resolving the social crisis caused by the government’s actions, which are undoubtedly against the interests of the people.”
“Today, June 28, 2025, we declare the current government illegitimate,” she said, adding that students believe national unity can only be achieved through a single possible path: by holding fair and transparent snap parliamentary elections.
The student pointed to the country’s problems – the selling-off of natural resources, extensive corruption, handing over resources to foreigners against the interests of the people, the poor position of farmers and workers, outdated labor laws, low wages, and the exploitation of workers. She also called for halting harmful projects, specifically the Jadar lithium mine.
She said that the students rose up with a clear goal – the “return of the state into the hands of the people” – and that systemic change is needed.
“That’s why we propose a social agreement, where the first step will be returning institutions to the service of citizens, not party elites. The core demands of this agreement must include: meeting student demands and reforming education, legally recognizing student assemblies (plenums), ensuring higher salaries and equal treatment for all education workers, and respecting the autonomy of the university,” she read out at the protest.
By the time the protest ended, the government had failed to meet the ultimatum issued by the student movement – namely, calling elections and removing the counter protestor camp in Pionirski Park. As a result, the students gave citizens the “green light” to engage in civil disobedience.
Although they did not call for violence, students removed their yellow safety vests and stated that from that point on, the protest was no longer a student protest, but of the broader population.
Numerous incidents followed in central Belgrade as police pushed citizens away from Pionirski Park. According to media reports, police were guarding Pionirski Park even before the student protest ended, with cordons placed around it.
“The government had every mechanism and plenty of time to meet the demands and prevent escalation. Instead, they chose violence and repression against citizens. Any radicalization of the situation is their responsibility,” wrote Students in Blockade on X.
The Counter Literary Evening
“There will be no counter-rally,” said President Aleksandar Vučić a few weeks ago when students announced the protest for June 28. This was confirmed by other government and party officials. However, no one said there wouldn’t be a literary evening.
Around 2 p.m. on Saturday, buses began arriving from different cities in Serbia. Supporters of the Serbian Progressive Party and those blackmailed into attending walked across Branko’s Bridge to Pionirski Park, where a literary evening was scheduled to start at 3 p.m.
The event lasted all day and continued well into the night. Loud music was played, food and drinks were served, and a banner was unfurled reading: “Blockaders, remember – Serbia is not a genocidal state.”
The counter protestors, called “Students who wanted to study,” declared victory during the day and said they would return to their universities to take exams starting Monday. The president of Serbia congratulated them on their “victory.”
Police Praise Themselves
During the clashes in downtown Belgrade, the Ministry of Internal Affairs held a press conference, where Police Director Dragan Vasiljević spoke.
According to him, six police officers were injured, and the police used what he called “minimal force” to prevent attacks on police and the state.
Vasiljević said that there were two gatherings in Belgrade that day, but that participants from the Slavija protest removed their vests and approached the police cordon. Despite police warnings, they continued, he said.
He claimed the police used only batons, but pepper spray was visibly used at the scene, and loud flashbangs were heard.
The police director commended officers for their diligence and commitment during the events in Belgrade.
Controversy Over Ambulance Passage – Who Blocked It?
At the press conference, Director Vasiljević said that an ambulance was called for an injured police officer, but citizens on Kneza Miloša Street refused to let the vehicle pass.
This was immediately refuted live on air by N1 journalist Petar Gajić, who said he witnessed the ambulance pass. His statement was supported by a video later obtained by Mašina, showing demonstrators allowing the ambulance through – only to be stopped by the police cordon.
After some time, the police allowed the ambulance to pass by launching a heavy attack against citizens who, at that moment, were not doing anything to justify such a reaction aside from standing in large numbers.
Attacks on Journalists
Several journalists and media crews were attacked during the evening. At Pionirski Park, a man prevented the N1 team from working. Although police were nearby, they did not intervene until Veran Matić, a member of the Standing Working Group for the Safety of Journalists, stepped in, according to N1.
“The explanation that ‘you are filming him, he is filming you’ and thus no public order was disturbed is an unacceptable trivialization of obstructing the work of the media, reporters, and cameramen,” said Matić, adding that equating professionals with aggressors is unacceptable.
A Danas journalist was also attacked that evening, when a plainclothes police officer stopped him from filming an arrest and then kicked him.
A FoNet cameraman was hit several times near the London intersection. He was struck in the back and sprayed with pepper spray during a altercation with riot police, the agency reported.
The Association of Independent Electronic Media stated that preventing journalists and cameramen from covering the St. Vitus commemoration in front of the Serbian National Assembly was unacceptable.
Their statement noted that the area in front of the Parliament was “off-limits” to media teams from certain outlets.
I.P., A.M.
