Serbian student protests trigger EU demand to halt state retaliation
On 15 March 2025 a massive student demonstration in Belgrade gathered an estimated 275,000‑325,000 participants. Protesters reported that police deployed an acoustic weapon, described by witnesses as a “sound cannon”, causing injuries and panic. Serbian authorities denied the use of such equipment, but video footage showed a device positioned in front of the National Assembly.
A human‑rights report released by the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights documented a systematic pattern of police violence against young demonstrators throughout 2025. The report cites numerous incidents of excessive force, unlawful detentions, and intimidation of academics, including the case of student Nikolina Sinđelić who accused a former security commander of sexual threats. It also notes that over 100 teachers lost their jobs for supporting the protests and that state funding per student is five times below the EU average.
Student activists continue to mobilise, announcing a new rally in Kraljevo on 28 June and calling on citizens to donate to fund the event. In response, thirty members of the European Parliament from five political groups wrote to the European Commission, demanding an immediate stop to “autocratic persecution” and urging protection for activists, journalists and students. The letter states: “Hitno zahtevamo da Evropska komisija, a naročito predsednica Ursula von der Leyen i komesarka Marta Kos, javno osude ovo uznemiravanje …”.