Belgrade — What began as a peaceful march through Serbia’s cities on Saturday spiraled into violence by nightfall, as masked youths clashed with riot police in Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Valjevo.
Government offices and ruling party headquarters became the prime targets of the rioters, who also damaged private cars and residential buildings, according to police. Security forces responded with tear gas and heavy deployments to restore order.
Authorities reported 56 arrests, charging the detainees with disturbing public order and property destruction. At least six police officers were injured in the confrontations. The clashes marked a sharp turn from the earlier demonstrations, when thousands had taken to the streets to protest against President Aleksandar Vučić’s government in largely peaceful fashion.
The protests are the latest in a wave of public discontent that has swept Serbia for months, fueled by anger over governance and intensified by the tragedy at Novi Sad’s railway station earlier this year. Many demonstrators have called for fresh elections as the only path to defuse tensions.
“None of us knows how this will end, but we all know how it should: peacefully,” protester Marko Markovic said during the march. “If Vučić truly loves this country, he should call elections. That alone will calm the streets.”
President Vučić struck back on social media, condemning the violence. “The masks have fallen. Everyone has seen the hysterical reactions and destruction,” he wrote on Instagram, promising swift repairs to damaged buildings and infrastructure.
As night gave way to dawn, the images of shattered windows and smoke-filled avenues painted a stark picture of a nation at a crossroads—torn between mounting public anger and a government unwilling to cede ground.
