Serbia arrests dozens after clashes at anti-government rally

Misha Savic, Bloomberg News on Jun 28, 2025

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Serbian police clashed with anti-government protesters after tens of thousands rallied in Belgrade demanding an early election to remove President Aleksandar Vucic and his governing party.

Riot police arrested dozens of people in the violence late Saturday, using stun grenades and pepper spray against protesters who hurled rocks and confronted the officers. Six officers and at least two civilians were injured, police chief Dragan Vasiljevic told reporters.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic condemned the violence, saying in a statement that “police will take all measures to restore public order and peace and will repel all attacks.”

The rally in Serbia’s capital was the latest in months of almost daily protests against the authorities, triggered by a canopy collapse at a railway station in November that left 16 dead. Public outrage over corruption and negligence in public infrastructure has snowballed into an anti-government movement, led by university students and opposition parties.

The gathering in Belgrade started in the afternoon and was peaceful for a few hours until protesters faced a police cordon in the city’s center.

Vucic, in power for almost 12 years, has repeatedly resorted to snap elections to consolidate power. He has rejected the latest demand, saying no general election will be held until late 2026.

Vucic alleges that unspecified foreign countries are instigating unrest in Serbia by training and financing activists. His second and final presidential term ends in 2027.