site.btaBelgrade Students Keep Protests Alive: Fifth School Joins Blockade in Solidarity

Fifth Secondary School in Belgrade declared on Monday a 24-hour blockade in support of the student-led protests and sit-ins across Serbia, held in memory of the Novi Sad tragedy. 

The demonstrations began following the collapse of a concrete canopy at the city’s railway station on November 1, which claimed the lives of 15 people.

Students from the Fifth High School have been taking shifts to maintain the blockade and joined two other high schools in the Serbian capital to organize a charity bazaar.

Parents and well-known public figures attended the event in solidarity, backing both the students and the broader anti-corruption demands of university protesters.

"I hope the protests in Serbia will lead to a positive outcome," said renowned street artist and architect Andrej Josifovski – Pijanista, speaking to BTA’s Teodora Encheva.

Josifovski emphasized the importance of holding those responsible for the Novi Sad tragedy accountable under the rule of law.

"I am inspired by the pure energy of these students and the high schoolers supporting them today. They have acted so wisely and carefully, yet they have decisively drawn society’s attention to the tragedy in Novi Sad. They have pulled everyone out of social lethargy," he added.

Josifovski, who teaches at the Faculty of Architecture in Belgrade, revealed that at the beginning of the protests, his students sought his advice on what messages to write on the banners they would carry on the front lines.

With high schoolers now actively joining university students in their calls for justice, the protests continue to gain momentum, bringing wider public attention to the tragedy and the broader concerns over institutional accountability in Serbia.

Protests have been ongoing for over three months, sparked by the collapse of a canopy at Novi Sad railway station shortly after its inauguration in November, which left 15 people dead. Students are demanding accountability from the authorities.

The political opposition and student movement attribute the disaster to corruption, alleging irregularities in the awarding and execution of the construction work.