Serbia faces student protests and reports of political violence

Serbia is experiencing heightened political tension driven by student activism and reports of violence. The Students in Blockade movement has launched an extensive campaign across Belgrade, including setting up information stands at 19 locations and conducting door-to-door outreach to engage citizens in their movement.

In a separate incident, surveillance footage released by the Center for Investigative Journalism of Serbia (CINS) shows a physical assault on Stevan Filipović, a director and professor at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts. The footage captures a group of men forcibly taking Filipović’s phone and beating him in central Belgrade after he filmed individuals defacing a protected building. Authorities are investigating the attack.

In regional politics, the Assembly of AP Vojvodina saw the formation of a new parliamentary group, ‘Vojvodina uz studente’ (Vojvodina with Students). The group includes representatives from the Democratic Party, the Movement of Free Citizens, and the Green-Left Front. The formation has caused internal friction within the Movement of Free Citizens (PSG), as the party stated that its provincial deputy, Miroslav Ilić, acted in a personal capacity without party authorization.