**Serbian Police Crack Down on Protestors at Mass Anti-Government Rally in Belgrade**
On June 28, over 100,000 people gathered in the streets of Belgrade to demand snap elections and an end to corruption. The rally marked a major escalation in a protest movement that has been gaining momentum since last fall.
At the heart of the protests are demands for President Aleksandar Vucic to step down after 12 years in power. Despite his term not ending until 2027, Vucic has consistently refused to call snap elections, sparking widespread outrage among Serbians who feel their voices are being ignored.
The police response was swift and brutal. Officers in riot gear used tear gas, pepper spray, and stun grenades to disperse the crowds, detaining dozens of protestors along the way. The Interior Minister, Ivica Dacic, claimed that the demonstrators had attacked the police, but eyewitnesses reported a different story.
**A Protest Movement Like No Other**
The protests in Serbia are not like those seen elsewhere in Eastern Europe. Unlike mass demonstrations in Slovakia, where activists explicitly condemned the government’s pro-Kremlin agenda, the Serbian movement is focused on Vucic’s corrupt leadership. The protesters are not pro-Ukrainian or pro-Russian; they’re simply fed up with a system that has failed them.
This protest wave began in November, when a train station roof collapsed in Novi Sad, killing 15 people and highlighting widespread government corruption. Since then, protests have grown in size and intensity, with this latest rally being the largest yet.
**Vucic’s Delicate Balancing Act**
President Vucic has walked a tightrope between Russia and the West since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Serbia has attempted to position itself as neutral in the conflict, balancing its status as an EU candidate with its longstanding ties to Moscow. In recent weeks, Vucic even made his first official visit to Ukraine.
But this fragile balance is under increasing pressure from protesters who see Vucic’s leadership as the root of all problems. As protests continue to escalate, it remains to be seen how Vucic will respond to the growing discontent.
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