Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad marks anniversary of police raid

Students and professors in Novi Sad are marking the one-year anniversary of a police raid on the Faculty of Philosophy. The incident occurred on August 26, 2025, when police forcibly removed students who were conducting a blockade of the building.

Participants in commemorative events, including a forum titled ‘Occupied, but not silenced’, expressed concerns regarding the erosion of university autonomy. Witnesses described the initial intervention by Dean Milivoj Alanović as unpredictable and violent, noting that subsequent police actions included the use of shock bombs and resulted in injuries within the faculty.

Legal experts and protesters have criticized the lack of legal consequences following the raid. Attorney Vladimir Beljanski suggested the intervention was the result of political agreements rather than an independent decision by the dean, arguing that the event demonstrated a disregard for constitutional guarantees of academic freedom. The incident has also resulted in the dismissal of two professors, Jelena Kleut and Vladimir Mihić.