Led by university students, people attend a protest against increasing police brutality in Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Led by university students, people attend a protest against increasing police brutality in Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Led by university students, people attend a protest against increasing police brutality in Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Led by university students, people attend a protest against increasing police brutality in Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Thousands rally in Serbia and accuse police of brutality at anti-government demonstrations
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) 鈥 Thousands of student-led protesters chanted slogans against Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic at a rally in downtown Belgrade on Monday, accusing police of brutality during recent anti-government demonstrations that have shaken his populist rule.
Led by university students, people attend a protest against increasing police brutality in Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) 鈥 Thousands of student-led protesters chanted slogans against Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic at a rally in downtown Belgrade on Monday, accusing police of brutality during recent anti-government demonstrations that have shaken his populist rule.
The protesters demanded that police officers responsible for excessive use of force during months of unrest be punished, including for alleged rape threats against a female student.
The protests started in November when at a train station in Serbia鈥檚 north, killing 16 people. The disaster ignited an anti-corruption movement led by university students alleging graft-fueled negligence as its cause.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Student Nikolina Sindjelic, who was detained last month during the protests, said she was beaten and sexually harassed during her detention. Sindjelic told the rally that the 鈥渆ntire state system has been directed against its own citizens.鈥
鈥淭hey (government) beat us because they are afraid of us,鈥 Sindjelic said in a speech outside the headquarters of a special police unit, whose commander she accused of rape threats. 鈥淭hey have hit us and they will hit us because they know it is all over (for them).鈥
The crowd roared in approval at Sindjelic鈥檚 speech, chanting 鈥淗e is Finished,鈥 in a reference to Serbia’s pro-Russian president.
The has rejected students’ demand for a snap parliamentary election. He has stepped up a crackdown, sacking scores of professors and teachers and deploying police inside some faculty buildings.
The European Union鈥檚 response to repeated crackdowns by Serbian police against demonstrators has been mild.
鈥淲e have a problem in Belgrade,鈥 European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said on Monday.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
鈥淭he people have the right to protest,鈥 Kos said during a visit to Austria. 鈥淭he severe violence on the streets of Serbia, the many acts of vandalism must stop. We expect the police to act appropriately and respect fundamental rights.鈥
On Friday evening, to disperse thousands of protesters in the northern city of Novi Sad who gathered at the university campus. Dozens of people were injured as baton-wielding, shielded riot police charged at the protesters to push them away from the campus, sending many fleeing in panic and falling.
Police said they responded to 鈥渕assive attacks鈥 from masked protesters who threw flares and various objects at them. University students behind the protest said police launched 鈥渂rutal .鈥
An elite police unit commander said over the weekend that he had been forced to retire as part of alleged purges within the force of any senior officers who were not completely loyal to and controlled by Vucic.
Vucic has accused the students of 鈥渢errorism鈥 and working under Western orders against Serbia. He has offered no evidence for his claims.
Serbia is formally seeking European Union membership but Vucic has maintained close ties with Russia and China while facing accusations of , including free media.
鈥斺赌
AP’s Philipp-Moritz Jenne and Dusan Stojanovic contributed.
