Serbian Police Crack Down on Latest Anti-Government Protests

Author: Vera Rousseff

July 8, 2025

HRRC strongly condemns the Vucic regime’s use of excessive force against peaceful protesters and calls on the government to comply with the protestors’ demands for snap elections.

Law enforcement officers try to remove a woman from the street during road blockades organised by students and anti-government demonstrators demanding snap elections and release of arrested protestors, in Belgrade, Serbia, July 3, 2025. [Image credit: REUTERS/Amir Hamzagic]

Over the past week, Serbian police intensified their crackdown on the latest wave of anti-government protests across the country, resulting in dozens of arrests and accusations of excessive police force. The protests, which have been ongoing since November of last year, reached a crescendo at the end of June, when thousands of Serbians took to the streets in a powerful show of public dissent.

The protests in Serbia started in November of 2024, when a roof collapse at a rail station in the city of Novi Sad resulted in the deaths of 16 people and led to accusations of government negligence. Serbia’s populist president, Aleksandar Vucic, who has been in power since 2012, has increasingly used an authoritarian, strongman leadership style to limit democratic freedoms and allow for widespread corruption in the country. After the Novi Sad disaster, student-led protests erupted in an effort to hold the government accountable for the collapse, which resulted in the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic. However, Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party remained in power.

Over time, the protests evolved into a demand for snap elections in lieu of the standard elections planned for 2027. Protest leaders demanded that Vucic announce a new election by Saturday, June 28th, which he refused to do. An estimated 140,000 people participated in the protests over the weekend of June 28-29th, the largest since the initial protests following the Novi Sad tragedy. Vucic accused the protestors of participating in a foreign plot to topple the country.

Demonstrations have continued over the past week, with people setting up roadblocks in major cities around Serbia. Outsiders have expressed concern over the Vucic regime’s violent crackdown on the protesters, particularly the widespread arrests and use of excessive force. On Wednesday, July 2nd, police detained 79 protesters in an effort to control the demonstrations. There were reports that four students had been taken to the hospital after being injured in the police action.

In a joint statement, Amnesty International and Civil Rights Defenders stated:

“Footage of Serbian riot police indiscriminately targeting peaceful protesters gathered at blockades on the street and in front of universities in Belgrade is alarming. There have been widespread arrests and allegations of excessive or otherwise unlawful use of force against student protesters – during the protests, the arrests and in police custody. Authorities must urgently investigate and explain reports of masked individuals in civilian clothes targeting protesters.”

The demonstrations have undoubtedly rattled Vucic, whose grip over the country is no longer being tolerated by the country’s youth. As Serbia enters its ninth month of protests, the movement shows no signs of slowing down, with organizers calling on Serbians to “take freedom into your own hands.” With their courage and tenacity, the protesters stand as a testament to the inspiring potential of youth-led movements in the fight for democracy.

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Glossary

• Accusation: a statement that someone has done something wrong, illegal, or dishonest, especially when that wrongdoing has not yet been proven.

• Allegation: a claim or accusation that someone has done something wrong or illegal, especially when those claims have not yet been proven or confirmed.

• Amnesty International: a global human rights organization focused on ending abuses of human rights around the world.

• Authoritarian: a governing style characterized by strong central power and limited political freedoms.

• Belgrade: the capital city of Serbia and a central location of the protests.

• Blockade: action taken to block or obstruct movement, often used during protests or conflicts to prevent people, goods, or vehicles from passing through a specific area.

• Civil Rights Defenders: a human rights organization based in Sweden that supports civil society and defends people’s civil and political rights.

• Crackdown: a harsh or repressive response by authorities to control or suppress dissent or criminal activity.

• Crescendo: a buildup to a peak in intensity, action, or emotion.

• Demonstrations: organized public gatherings or protests expressing opposition or support for an issue.

• Excessive force: the use of force by law enforcement that exceeds what is necessary to accomplish a lawful purpose.

• Foreign plot: a claim or conspiracy theory suggesting that foreign powers are orchestrating unrest or subversion within a country.

• Indiscriminately: without careful judgment, without distinguishing between different people or things, or randomly and without concern for who or what is affected.

• In lieu of: "instead of" or "in place of."

• Negligence: the failure to take proper care or to do something with the necessary attention, especially when that failure causes harm or damage.

• Populist: a political approach that seeks to represent the interests of ordinary people, often contrasted with the elite.

• Public dissent: the open expression of disagreement or opposition by members of the general public, usually directed toward government policies, leadership, or societal conditions.

• Riot police: a specialized police unit equipped and trained to control crowds and suppress civil disorder.

• Roadblock: a physical barrier used to restrict or control traffic, often employed by protesters during civil actions.

• Serbian Progressive Party: center-right, populist political party in Serbia. It is currently the dominant ruling party in the country and has been led by President Aleksandar Vučić since 2012. The SNS promotes conservative, nationalist, and pro-European Union policies.

• Snap elections: elections called earlier than scheduled, often in response to political pressure or crisis.

• Strongman: a leader who rules by force or threat of force, often concentrating power in a single individual or party.

• Tenacity: the quality of being determined, persistent, and not giving up easily, even when facing difficulties or obstacles.

• Testament: evidence or strong example of something.

• Topple: to overthrow, remove from power, or cause to fall, often referring to a government, leader, or structure.