Protests and grief as Serbia marks anniversary of tragedy that killed 16. Here's what to know

Audio By Carbonatix

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Tens of thousands of students and other opponents of Serbia's populist president are converging on the northern city of Novi Sad for the massive commemoration of the victims of a tragedy a year ago that killed 16 people.

Ahead of the commemorative rally, momentum has been building in favor of opposition demands for major changes in the Balkan country, after nearly a year of student-led anti-government protests that have seriously shaken President Aleksandar Vucic and his firm grip on power.

As thousands of protesters arrive in Novi Sad from all over the country, Vucic has threatened mass arrests if the mourners turn to violence, and defiantly said his supporters are planning “a much bigger” rally in the city later in November.

He has also tried to downplay the expected size and importance of the commemorative opposition rally.

When asked by a TV reporter to comment on the commemoration on Saturday, Vucic said: “What is happening in Novi Sad? Is some soccer match being played?”

He said that “many will be disappointed due to excessive expectations from the rally," adding that “there will be no change of government.”

Most of the student led-protests have so far been peaceful, with sporadic incidents caused by Vucic supporters. However, tensions are boiling after a year of protests and emotions are high.

Riot police have cracked down hard against the protesters. Hundreds of Vucic's opponents have been arrested for taking part in the previous anti-government rallies, including at least two huge demonstrations in the capital, Belgrade.

People are expected to gather in several separate rallies throughout Novi Sad, a tactic believed to be designed to make it more difficult for the police to intervene than if one central rally was held at a single location.

The catalyst for monthslong protests was the deadly collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad on Nov. 1, 2024 which resulted in 16 fatalities. This incident has been widely attributed to governmental negligence, endemic corruption and shady deals made with Chinese construction companies that took part in the recent renovations of the station.

Initially, the protests began as sporadic demonstrations seeking accountability for the Novi Sad tragedy. However, they rapidly evolved into a nationwide movement addressing broader issues such as demands for snap elections and major democratic reforms.

The movement has garnered extensive support from various segments of Serbian society.

Vucic at first tried to ease the pressure by sacrificing the prime minister, who resigned in January along with the rest of the government. While a few officials were charged over the disaster in Novi Sad, so far no one has been tried, convicted or sentenced.

At the same time Vucic has described the protests as a ploy organized in the West to oust him from power. Vucic has sought and obtained support from Russia’s President Vladimir Putin as well as China while cracking down on liberal rights groups at home.

Similar student-led rallies already have been held in Novi Sad, drawing tens of thousands of people and lasting for a day or longer.

Thousands of people from all over Serbia are expected to converge on Novi Sad by Saturday. Already, thousands of students have been marching on the city from various directions.

Many who marched from Belgrade to Novi Sad had to sleep out in the open in cold weather in the town of Indjija because the local mayor, an official from Vucic's party, had refused to let them into a sports hall. He also warned local residents not to provide them with food and water.

Thousands of protesters were expected to take the train from Belgrade to Novi Sad to join the rally, but on Friday, the state railway company announced that all trains between the two cities were stopped indefinitely, apparently because of a bomb threat. The company did the same before previous mass protests over the past year.

The gathering on Saturday could easily turn into one of the biggest rallies ever in the troubled Balkan nation, which has a long history of anti-government demonstrations.