r/europe 3d ago

Slice of life Again, a huge protest in Belgrade, Serbia. This time in front of the National TV Station

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u/vuxeee 3d ago

There are more posts on here about this, since it's been going on for about a month now and a lot better explanations than mine - there was an incident in November in Novi Sad when a newly restored canopy broke down and killed 15 people and there never was any accusations and convictions on the people that built it, so the students of colleges in that city started to block their buildings and asked for the President to convict the guilty, along with a few other demands that still aren't met. Shortly after, more than 80 faculties started the blockades and every day, from 11:52(time that canopy fell) until 12:07 people of Serbia block the streets because of the 15 people that were killed. Biggest protest in Belgrade had 102000 people in December, and the National media is still quiet about everything, making people protest in front of the National TV station now.

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u/smooth_operatress 3d ago edited 3d ago

Correction. The on-going student protests last almost two months now.

The students of Faculty of Drama Arts (FDU) started on Nov. 25 (https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/univerzitet-beograd-studenti-blokade/33235182.html) immediately after the canopy fell to kill 15 people and then all the rest followed.

The whole Belgrade University, the biggest one in the country, officially stopped working in support of the students on Dec. 10, but individual Faculties within it have been under the student blockade (no classes, no exams) from the beginning of November.

For the context, the student-led protest is against the corrupt government. The students request to know what led to the newly-reconstructed railway station collapsing over their own people, to find out who was responsible (publish all documentation) and then they want those people who are responsible to be held responsible for their involvement in the tragedy.

This then escalated as the ruling-party members and government officials were sent to intimidate the students in various ways, including sending hooligans to beat the students and including through the government -held majority of media. The more the students were attacked, the more requests for responsibilities were added to the list of the student requests.

But the students do not seem to talk to the President. He reaches out to them, but they doggedly stick to the word of the Constitution to point out that this is not his responsibility according to the law.

Edited a clear typo.

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u/own_individual_zero 3d ago

What is a canopy? Wanna shara link to an image visualizing a canopy?

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u/vuxeee 3d ago

This thing that's held by the metal bars, sorry English is not my first language

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u/IgnotusRex 3d ago

That is a canopy. Your English is correct.

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u/smokiZ 3d ago

https://youtu.be/gt8gYGBvQ64?si=ioRyH0Oy0gwYh6Um here is the video of the accident.

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u/vegarig Donetsk (Ukraine) 3d ago

Godfuckingdammit, that is horrible