Violent clashes erupted Tuesday in the southwestern Serbian town of Novi Pazar after student demonstrators protesting against the government were reportedly forcefully evicted from a state university building where they had been camping for months, according to a report published by The Associated Press.
Videos shared online appeared to show unidentified men — allegedly accompanied by faculty officials and backed by a private security firm from nearby Kraljevo — entering the building between 3 am and 4 am. Student demonstrators claimed they were removed from the premises without any prior warning. Hundreds of locals later took to the streets to stage protests in solidarity with the detainees, the report said.
Protesters Chant Against President Aleksandar Vucic
According to the report, demonstrators chanted against President Aleksandar Vucic and demanded that the students be allowed to return. Some threw bottles at police officers, who reportedly retaliated using batons and shields.
Meanwhile, police said that their officials present at the scene had been attacked first and responded “with restraint while preserving public peace,” as reported by the AP.
Officers later withdrew from the scene as protesters celebrated, while chanting “victory”.
Ethnic Fault Lines and Political Pressure
Novi Pazar, home to a majority Bosniak Muslim population, has witnessed long-standing ethnic tensions with Serbs, in the aftermath of the wars that followed Yugoslavia’s collapse in the 1990s.
Serbian parliamentary speaker Ana Brnabic said the intervention was initiated by the faculty management, a claim that appears to fuel suspicions among protesters, many of whom have accused the Vucic government of cracking down on dissent under in the garb of administrative decisions.
Unrest Rooted in Tragedy and Corruption Allegations
The wave of student-led protests began in November after a tragic canopy collapse at a renovated train station reportedly killed 16 people. Many Serbians blamed the disaster on what they allege is deep-rooted corruption in state-funded infrastructure projects.
Despite most universities resuming classes to avoid delays, street demonstrations haven’t stopped in recent days. Protesters are continuing to call for early parliamentary elections, accusing Vucic of sliding into authoritarianism.
A large demonstration in April in Novi Pazar was seen as a significant move toward easing the town’s ethnic divisions.
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