Belgrade, Serbia, saw 23 arrests early on 24 May 2026 after a new day of student protests against the Serbian government, according to the Serbian Interior Ministry.
The student-led mobilisations have continued since November 2024. They began after a canopy collapse at Novi Sad train station killed 16 people and triggered a serious political crisis.
Protesters accuse the government of negligence and corruption, and say the official explanation for the accident is not enough. The protests previously led to the resignation of Prime Minister Miloš Vučević in April 2026. He had served as Novi Sad's mayor.
Interior Minister Ivica Dačić said some police officers were injured during evening disturbances in Belgrade's Slavija Square. He blamed the incidents on what he called “the most extreme part” of the protesters and warned that the government would not tolerate further unrest of this type.
President Aleksandar Vučić, speaking during an official visit to China, said the incidents had been prepared and planned in advance. He has said for months that political opposition has used the protests.
Vučić also said he would continue to offer dialogue to the students and urged them to abandon “blackmail and violence”. For more coverage of current events, see our news page.
