site.btaSerbian Students Call for Peaceful Protest on March 15 in Belgrade

Serbian students organizing a large protest in Belgrade on March 15 have called on all participants to "take part with dignity" and to avoid aggression and violence. “Violence has never been our weapon; we are fighting against it,” the students wrote on their Instagram profile @studenti_u_blokadi.

“We urge everyone to join us for a peaceful protest, so that once again we can show that our strength lies in fighting without violence for justice, freedom, and truth,” the post continues. 

The students also stated that the March 15 protest is not the end of their struggle, which will continue until their demands are met.

Since late November 2024, Serbian students have blocked more than 60 faculties across the country, accusing the Government of corruption and nepotism after 15 people died in the collapse of the roof at the Novi Sad train station in northern Serbia.

Other demands from the students include the publication of full documentation about the reconstruction of the Novi Sad train station, identifying and suing those who attacked protesters, dropping charges against students, citizens, and political activists involved in the protests, and increasing the budget for higher education by 20%.

The Government announced that all the protesters' demands had been met, but the students maintain that their requests have not been fully addressed.

Belgrade University Rector Vladan Djokic said on Thursday that students and much of the academic community are concerned about reports of potential unrest during the March 15 protest in Belgrade. Djokic emphasized that such reports do not come from the protesting students and called for everyone to calm tensions so the protest can proceed peacefully and respectfully, just like the previous protests in Kragujevac and Nis.

The University of Arts in Belgrade also has issued a statement on social media, declaring that "the responsibility lies with all interested parties at this moment."

On Thursday, the Serbian Prosecutor’s Office announced it would not tolerate acts of violence and called on protesters in Belgrade on March 15 to respect the laws of the country.

The Prosecutor’s Office stressed that everyone has the right to peaceful gatherings, but anyone who resorts to violence "will be prosecuted according to the law, whether they attack protest participants or use violence against others, including police officers and state officials."