The Faculty of Drama Arts helped spark this uprising, blockading their faculty since Monday. At 11:52 AM today, students of the University of Belgrade declared an additional blockade of the university rectorate. Several faculties in Belgrade and Novi Sad suspended classes for 15 minutes, while students of the Faculty of Law blocked an intersection to demand the resignation of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Prime Minister Miloš Vučević, and the replacement of the entire Serbian government.
As part of the “Pause, Serbia” action, students from the Faculties of Political Science, Philology, Philosophy, Law, as well as the Faculty of Media and Communications and the Academy of Arts in Belgrade paused classes for 15 minutes today in memory of the 15 individuals killed by the collapse of the railway station awning. Students from the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Novi Sad also participated in the action.
The Faculty of Law in Belgrade blocked the intersection in front of their faculty during the 15 minutes of silence. Dimitrije Radovanović, a student from the Faculty of Law, commented on the demands for Nova.rs:
“We demand the release of our peers and everyone else in custody. Student blockades are a political act, and our main demand is the resignation of Vučić, [Prime Minister] Vučević, and the Serbian government,” Radovanović stated. However, the students organizing the blockade of the rectorate have distanced themselves from these demands.
Nevertheless, the students have one thing in common: they are all organizing to shatter the status quo in Serbia.
Motives and Dynamics of Rectorate Blockade
In recent days, there has been some debate over who is organizing the Rectorate blockade. However, students have distanced themselves from all other organizations and political parties. A student from this self-organized group explained to Mašina how the students came up with the idea for the blockade:
“Our organization was formed because a victim of the tragedy in Novi Sad was a fellow student from the Faculty of Philosophy. A few of her colleagues, along with her, organized a group to express their grief, anger, and dissatisfaction. However, when the situation escalated (with other students being beaten and arrested while peacefully protesting), many more people joined and decided to express their discontent through a blockade,” said one of the students participating in the rectorate blockade. The students have decided to remain anonymous until a plenum is held, during which representatives for media communication will be elected and the students’ demands will be finalized.
Students released a statement with preliminary demands which include the publication of all documentation related to the reconstruction of the Novi Sad railway station, the dismissal of charges against detained protesters and their release, and a 20% increase in funding for state universities. They expressed support for their peers at the Faculty of Drama Arts who started their blockade on Monday.
Blockade of the Faculty of Drama Arts
On November 22, during the protest “Pause, Serbia,” a Faculty of Drama student Nikola Terzić was hospitalized with injuries and a Nova.rs journalist was also assaulted.
In the aftermath, students at the Faculty of Drama Arts organized against the impunity of the violent attackers.
The demands of these students are:
- Criminal prosecution of those who attacked students at “Pause, Serbia” protest
- Disciplinary actions against public officials involved in the incident
Students called on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to file criminal charges with the public prosecutor’s office in Belgrade against individuals identified as the attackers, including: Milija Koldžić, Aleksandar Jokić, Dušan Kostić, Milena Aleksić, and Ivan Stanišić. They demanded immediate confirmation of these individuals’ identities and that they be dismissed from public office, should they hold any position.
Outpouring of Support
The students have received widespread support from professors, the Serbian Screenwriters Association, and the Association of Drama Artists of Serbia.
The Association of Drama Artists of Serbia released a statement saying it strongly condemns all forms of violence against its members and citizens, especially those who, during the “Pause, Serbia” action.
The Executive Board of the Serbian Screenwriters Association has also supported the students’ blockade, stating: “As former students of this institution, we are proud of you and ready to assist in the fight for a fairer and safer future.”
Professor and director Irena Ristić commented on the significance of these protests, saying:
“Students are confronting the regime’s violence in its rawest form, alongside other citizens who are justifiably outraged. Protests are growing, and they won’t easily be silenced. Students are being arrested, beaten, threatened, and subjected to unjust detentions and extreme pressure. Systemic abuses have shown they can lead to death, while those responsible organize gangs to attack students.”
Ristić emphasized the importance of student voices and organization, noting that attempts to alter education laws and undermine the public education system reflect a broader capitalist effort to commodify knowledge. She reaffirmed the faculty’s commitment to supporting the students.
Broader Context of Student Protests in Serbia
These blockades come in the context of mass upheaval in Serbia. In addition to the “Pause, Serbia” incidents, the Serbian state has cracked down on protest in general, arresting scores of citizens at other protests about the collapse of the railway station awning. In addition, there is an ongoing protest encampment to prevent the demolition of the Old Sava Bridge where protesters have also been attacked by police.
A.M.
