Thousands protest in Belgrade against university repression
Kyiv • UNN
A rally titled "Knowledge is Power" was held in Belgrade to protest government pressure on the academic community. Participants accuse the authorities of persecuting teachers and students for their civic stance.
In the capital of Serbia, thousands of people gathered for the "Knowledge is Power" rally, protesting against government pressure on the academic community. Participants accuse the authorities of persecuting teachers and students who took part in mass anti-government demonstrations. This is reported by AP, writes UNN.
Details
The rally took place near the headquarters of the University of Belgrade on National Education Day. The main goal of the action was to support dozens of professors who were fired or suspended from their positions due to their civic stance.
During his speech, the chief dean of the university, Vladimir Djokic, emphasized that the current government is demonstrating unprecedented vindictiveness towards scientists who refuse to remain silent about the problems in the country.
The wave of protests in Serbia intensified after the tragedy in Novi Sad, where 16 people died in November 2024 due to the collapse of a canopy at the railway station. Citizens link the disaster to corruption and violations of safety standards during repairs, which led to the largest demonstrations against President Aleksandar Vučić in recent years.
Increased pressure on the student movement
The action in Belgrade was a response to recent actions by law enforcement agencies in Novi Sad, where police forcibly evicted students from one of the faculty buildings. In addition to physical intervention, university representatives report financial and legal pressure, as well as information attacks. In pro-government media, protesters and scientists are often called "terrorists."
Currently, President Vučić rejects demands for early elections. Instead, the authorities are strengthening control over educational institutions, trying to prevent the resumption of nationwide university strikes.