Serbian students continue blockade of bridges in Belgrade following fatal train station roof collaps

(9 Feb 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Belgrade, Serbia - 09 February 2025
++NIGHT SHOTS++
1. Wide of students with banner and waving flags and blowing horns, waiting for students from the town of Kragujevac to arrive
2. Man holding bread and drinks for students
3. Close of bread with salt and drinks
4. People holding banners reading (Serbian) “ Faster than Fiat”
5. Serbian flag
6. Various of people waiting for students
7. Students crossing the red tape carrying Serbian flag
8. Students standing among the cheering crowd
9. Students holding invitation letters
10. Students handing out invitation letter to fellow student
11. Students receiving medals for running
12. Students eating bread and salt with drinks
13. Students toasting each other and drinking
14. Various people cheering and blowing whistles
15. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Djordje Karanovic, student:
”I want more people to come to every protest. We must not stop. I invite everyone sitting at home to join the protests because that is the only way we can change something in this country. I am glad for our colleagues from Kragujevac who are so dedicated, such a long way to run for us. I am glad we are here tonight in such a big numbers.”
16. People in front of the cathedral
17. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Arandjel (surname not given), protester:
”They ran this far, it is a great achievement. Everyone should come and give them support.”
18. People in front of the cathedral
STORYLINE:
A group of student protesters who ran from the central town of Kragujevac to the capital Belgrade were greeted by thousands of cheering students on Sunday night.

The students received medals and in turn handed out invitations to fellow-students for a rally on Feb. 15, which is the national statehood holiday in Serbia.

Earlier the striking university students blocked a bridge in Belgrade as well as roads throughout the Balkan country to mark 100 days since the collapse of a concrete canopy at a train station which killed 15 people.

Many residents joined the students for a 7-hour blockade of the the Gazela, or Gazelle, bridge over the Sava River in the Serbian capital.

Simultaneously, a three-hour blockade of key roads started in Novi Sad, while students in Nis blocked a highway pay toll station at the entrance of the southern city.

The blockades are part of a campaign of protests led by striking university students who are demanding justice over the Nov. 1 disaster at a train station in Novi Sad, which critics have blamed on government corruption.

The anti-graft protests are turning into a nation-wide uprising against the populist government of authoritarian President Aleksandar Vucic.

He has accused the protesters of working for foreign intelligence services and pledged to defeat what he called a “colored revolution” whose alleged goal is to topple him from power.

The student-led movement has already forced the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, Vucic’s ally, and his government.

The canopy collapse has become a flashpoint symbolizing a pro-democracy struggle against Vucic and his government.

Tens of thousands of people have joined almost daily rallies and blockades in the past weeks.

One of the protesters, Djordje Karanovic, urged others to come and join them.

"We must not stop," he said. "That is the only way we can change something in this country."

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