A wave of student protests began in Serbia last year, following an awning collapse at the Novi Sad train station that killed 15 people on November 1.
When questions were asked as to who was responsible for the tragedy 鈥 the awning had only recently been renovated 鈥 the government refused to release the building contracts.
This triggered a mass mobilisation of students, fed up with poor working conditions, wages, corruption and lies from a government that has been in power for 13 years, 鈥渨inning鈥 five consecutive elections.
Since November, university students have been blockading their campuses, refusing to attend classes and getting out on the streets to protest government corruption. They argue that President Aleksandar Vucic has overstepped 鈥 what is meant to be a mostly ceremonial role 鈥 to control every aspect of the country鈥檚 politics.
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The students have made it clear that they are independently organised, not loyal to any political party, and are seeking accountability from the government for the injustices and disintegration of the quality of life.
The students have been steadfast in their demands from the very beginning. In order to end the protests, they are demanding that: the government release all documents relating to the Novi Sad bus station collapse; charges be dropped against student protesters; those involved in violence against protesters are prosecuted; and the higher education budget is increased by 20%.
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Media blackout
The students鈥 demands are posted on the @studenti_u_blockadi Instagram page, which has amassed more than 300,000 followers over the four months since the protests began.
The page serves as a central information point about the ongoing protests, amid the failures of mainstream media to report truthfully about the situation. Media repression and blackouts have been rife throughout this protest movement, with the government controlling most of the prominent traditional media outlets.
The president is appearing on TV several times a day in an attempt to saturate the media, control the narrative and minimise the public鈥檚 awareness of the movement.
In response to the media blackout, the students organised protest walks (not unlike pilgrimages) across the country. They walked hundreds of kilometers, crossing through remote and rural communities that would not have otherwise been able to see the extent of the students鈥 solidarity and commitment to bettering the lives of all people across the country.
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I was in my homeland in January, when students organised an action blockading the largest major highway exit into Belgrade for 24 hours straight. I was lucky enough to attend this protest and the solidarity that I saw between students, members of the community and people from all walks of life, was nothing short of extraordinary.
More than 100,000 students and community members showed up, in the middle of winter. The students organised themselves into groups according to their faculties, took shifts on the blockade, roasted pigs on a spit, played volleyball into the night, and blew whistles (a symbol of the shady government cover-ups) to create inescapable noise and disruption.
Veterans and bikers showed up to guard the students, watching over them as they slept. Local restaurant owners came and made sure they were well fed.
Since then, students have continued to be steadfast in their demands, walking out on to the streets at 11:52 am (the time of the collapse) every day to block traffic and hold 15 minutes of silence for the 15 dead. They have been joined in their protest by blockades at high schools, cultural institutions and even some primary schools.
The message is clear: 鈥渂usiness as usual鈥 cannot continue until the government takes accountability.
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March 15
The students called the public onto the streets of the capital Belgrade, on March 15, for their 鈥15 for 15鈥 protest to honour the victims. The turnout was spine chilling. The government put the numbers at 107,000, other sources estimate 300鈥400,000 attended and unofficial reports claim up to 800,000 people gathered throughout the streets of Belgrade that day.
In a country with a population of about 6 million, this is extraordinary. Especially considering the government shut down the rail, bus and airport services in the days leading up to the protest to stop people from coming.
Ahead of the protest, organisers were told to expect violence from the police and pro-government protesters.
In response, the students 鈥 who have managed to keep protests relatively peaceful over the past 4 months 鈥 issued public statements condemning the provocation of violence and affirming that should it ensue, marshals would take off their identifying vests, and it would no longer be a student protest.
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The protests managed to remain relatively peaceful, however during the 15 minutes of silence, a large soundwave burst through parts of the crowd, causing panic and confusion. Witnesses described it as an electrical shockwave, pulsing through their bodies.
It is largely suspected that the government used a long-range acoustic device (LRAD), a sonic weapon, to create panic in the crowd, in an attempt to cause a potentially deadly stampede. The government continues to deny that such a device 鈥 which is banned in Serbia as well as most countries around the world 鈥 was used during the protest.
So, what will happen next? While there is hope that the students鈥 demands will be met, and the president鈥檚 resignation is imminent, his boisterousness in the days since the protest indicates otherwise.
Major systemic change is needed in the country to weed out the deep and widespread levels of corruption that have crept into every aspect of the community and everyday life. The students, and the community, understand that there is a long road ahead to writing the wrongs of those in power. However, this generation, these students, this nation, will never give up and will fight until the end.
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