On November 1st 2024, 15 (now 16) people were tragically killed in Novi Sad, Serbia, following the collapse of a 48m (157ft) long concrete canopy at the city’s railway station at 11:52 AM (CEST). On this tragic occasion, the youngest victim was just under 10 years old. This incident caused uproar within the country, leading to anti-corruption rallies and mass protests against the government.
This begs the question: What exactly happened in Serbia, before, on, and after November 1st, 2024?
The railway station was built back in 1964. Discussions surrounding the renovation of the station date as far back as 2013, when Serbia, China, and Hungary signed an agreement to re-develop the Belgrade-Budapest railway: Novi Sad was one of the stops on this new, high-speed rail. From 2021-2024, the station apparently only underwent interior renovations, although, records disclose otherwise.
The chain of responsibility runs from the designers, in this case the Traffic Institute CIP, the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of the City of Novi Sad, the independent expert supervision that gave approval for the execution of the project, the contractor, in this case the consortium of Chinese firms CRIC-CCCC, to the company responsible for receiving works and managing the station buildings of the Railway Infrastructure and the competent Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure.
— Vuk Nenadovic, Vreme Magazine
There are reports from the institutions listed above that claim that the outer canopy that collapsed was not reconstructed during the period of 2021-2024 following a “visual assessment” of the building which cleared the need for outer reconstruction of the canopy and facade. However, there are those, such as geological engineer Zoran Đajić, who share that the canopy did in fact need reconstruction, despite attempts from sources to silence his warnings. Moreover, multiple photographs and other relevant documentation affirm that the canopy was indeed rendered with, despite allegations that it was untouched during renovations.
On the morning of November 1st 2024, just hours before the incident, multiple travelers complained that material had been falling off of the canopy of the station, but authorities didn’t address it. It was only after the fifth complaint from a traveler did Veselin Simović; the chief of the station appear, swearing out of anger that citizens have nothing to report, as there is nothing falling off of the station’s roof, assuring everyone of their safety. This ignorance has cost the country 15 innocent lives, and citizens quickly turned their eyes to none other than the progressive party of Serbia (SNS) and their leader, Aleksandar Vučić, for answers.
The Novi Sad Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation following the incident where over 40 people were brought in for questioning, including construction minister Goran Vesić. 11 of those 40 people, including Vesić, would be formally indicted over the incident on December 30th, 2024. Before his arrest, however, Vesić would go on to publicly announce his resignation as construction minster, claiming he “does not accept guilt” over the incident, a baffling event which would shock the public.
Following the collapse, hundreds of thousands condemned the government for negligence.
National Timeline of Notable Events Following The Tragedy
November 2nd, 2024: National Day of Mourning.
November 3rd, 2024: protests begin, held in front of the Ministry of Construction, Transportation and Infrastructure in Belgrade, calling for the arrest of officials responsible for the tragedy.
November 5th, 2024: protests in front of the railway station and multiple other locations in Novi Sad, where arrests and clashes with police officers were reported. Projectiles and red paint were thrown by protestors at regional offices of the Serbian Progressive Party, symbolizing the blood on the government’s hands.
November 11th, 2024: silent protest held in Belgrade.
November 15th, 2024: silent protest held in Novi Sad. Demonstrators blocked crossroads outside of the railway station.
November 19th, 2024: protesters blockaded a courthouse in Novi Sad, demanding the arrest of those responsible for the incident and for the release of those arrested during previous protests.
November 20th, 2024: foreign trade and former construction minister Tomislav Momirović announces his resignation.
November 22nd, 2024: 15-minute silence observed across the country’s protesters for the 15 lives lost in the Novi Sad tragedy. During this moment of silence, a group of students were physically assaulted from Belgrade’s Faculty of Dramatic Arts, causing outrage.
November 25th, 2024: scuffles, or “legislative violence” break out in the National Assembly. Opposition MPs demand a discussion on the disaster while displaying a banner “the blood is on your hands” while government MPs accuse their counterparts of wanting war.
December 11th, 2024: President Vučić makes concession, promising “prosecutorial documents related to the disaster of the collapse of the Novi Sad railway station’s canopy would be publicized, and that arrested protesters would be released.” However, no concessions were made on his call to resignation.
January 28th, 2025: Miloš Vučević resigns as prime minister. Student protesters mobilize the main traffic junction in Belgrade for a full 24 hours.
Since the fall of the canopy, protests have spread across the entire country, occurring almost daily. Following the physical attack on a group of protesting students on November 22nd, 2024, the students of Serbia decided that enough was enough. Saša Savanović of Aljazeera writes that “In response to this and other similar attacks and in the absence of any reaction from the authorities, the students decided to occupy their facilities three days later. This inspired other students to take similar actions.” In the following weeks, six major public universities were occupied by their students, practically “paralyzing higher education in the whole country, as all academic activity in these institutions has been suspended.” Today, middle and elementary schools stand in solidarity with the higher education students.
February 1st, 2025: a similar mobilization of the streets which occurred on January 28th in Belgrade occurs in Novi Sad.
February 13th, 2025: protesting students occupy the Student Cultural Center in Belgrade.
February 15th, 2025: students mobilize the city of Kragujevac.
Innumerable students following the actions stated thus far start a march towards Kragujevac and Novi Sad to show their solidarity. The students walked an astonishing 100km (60 miles!) to reach their destinations, and they were greeted by citizens of all ages who offered them food, water, medical aid, accommodation, blankets, and more. For some, a hug or smile was more than enough to keep their spirits high amidst a national revolution.
At the end of the mass rally in Novi Sad, hundreds of taxi drivers showed up to drive the students back to Belgrade. The residents of Kragujevac accommodated in their homes around 700 protesters from out of town. Citizens’ solidarity with the students has been spectacular.
—Saša Savanović, Aljazeera
The mass rallies and occupations conducted by the students of Serbia come with four demands targeted toward the Serbian Progressive Party. These include:
(1) the release and publicization of ALL documents related to the incident of the Novi Sad railway station;
(2) the prosecution of those attacking innocent and peaceful protesters;
(3) the dismissal of charges against protesters; and
(4) an increase in a higher education budget.
Stanford University professor Branislav Jakovljević has described the current political moment in Serbia as a conflict between society and the state: The people of Serbia have an opportunity to (re)claim institutions of the state and democratise them. They will need great courage and vivid imagination to engage in this highly experimental renegotiation of how their society should be governed.
—Saša Savanović, Aljazeera
Currently, statistics show that a large amount of Serbian citizens support the student’s calls to action and demands. Around 80% of citizens, to be exact. But, why does all of this matter?
The Importance of Commitment TO Social Justice
Grief turned into frustration. Frustration turned into action. The students of Serbia have effectively, and most importantly, peacefully, halted their education and have gained the support and trust of millions nation-wide. They have made it abundantly clear that their education cannot and will not continue until those in charge (the Serbian Progressive Party and President Aleksandar Vučić) claim responsibility for the corruption of their country and the fall of the canopy in Novi Sad.
Small towns and villages, otherwise not mentioned in national discussions, have taken part in these nation-wide protests. Serbia has now gained global attention, with cities such as Budapest, New York, and Toronto, to name a few, organizing their own protests to show their solidarity with the country.
The Serbian fight for social justice and their commitment to such justice should be commemorated: internationally. The Serbian youth are now a core part of the country’s history, seeking justice not only for those who have passed due to the corruption of the nation’s government, but seeking adequate justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within their society.
The Importance of Community Leadership
Leadership is an important part of any community. Whether it be community leadership or government leadership, this characteristic plays a vital role in shaping the world around us, as well as its morals and standards.
The student-led protests have fostered positivity, collaboration, organization, empowerment, shared responsibility, and a clear set of goals that need to be accomplished. This type of leadership is inspiring, and others should take notes (*cough cough*, Mr. President) on its impact.
These protests are not only a sign of collaborative effort to reconstruct the democracy of the state, to display leadership qualities, or commitment to social justice. Internationally, they play a massive role in demonstrating the power of youth-led activism. In addition, these protests have showcased the importance of holding institutions accountable, demanding accountability without refusal to backdown, and the utter importance of fearlessness in the face of adversity and more importantly, the government.
March 15th: The Largest Protest in Serbian History
On March 15th, 2025, Belgrade hosted its largest protest, ever. Everyone joined the students: farmers, bikers, veterans, all in the city’s largest anti-corruption protest against President Vučić. After four consecutive months of the student-led protests, one thing is certain: “frustrations with the administration have reached their breaking point”, says Brent Sandler, author for the Guardian.
Instead of taking accountability, it seems that President Vučić has been fighting back in contra-protests and attempts to mobilize anyone from further protesting. In what seems to be an attempt to lock down Belgrade to suppress the anti-corruption movement, SrbijaVoz (the state railway company) abruptly shut down all inter-city train services for March 15th due to a “bomb threat.” In addition, inter-city buses were also suspended, raising further attention and questions towards Vučić’s authority.
The Guardian shared that “western diplomats are urging Serbia’s leadership to ensure the protest remains peaceful and that the safety of participants is guaranteed, warning that any attempts to suppress the demonstrations could escalate tensions domestically and internationally.” I’m certain that this statement will apply to all future student protests as well, with the safety of Serbian citizens now being internationally monitored.
Despite all efforts to block the city, students and other participants of the protest which was held on March 15th showed resiliency by making it their mission to walk or bike to Belgrade in order to show their solidarity.
Serbian students have done nothing but show the world how to peacefully restore democratic hope. What the future for the country is remains uncertain. What is certain, however, is that the Serbian student-led protests are nothing short of a revolution, gaining global attraction and support. Peace and truth will always prevail.
