At least 100,000 people have descended to Belgrade for a massive rally considered the culmination of months of protest against Serbian President Alexander Wüch and his government.
A crowd of flag-waving protesters clogged the downtown area of the capital on Saturday despite occasional rain.
Following the obvious sporadic incident between protesters and police, the university student, who has led peaceful protests for the past four months, suddenly called for the end of the demonstrations, saying they can no longer guarantee safety at the rally.
Most of the protesters were dispersed, but tensions surged, leaving thousands on the streets.
Police said the crowd reached 107,000 at the peak of the protest. Independent Serbia’s media has described the rally as the largest in the country, calling it much higher. All public transport in Belgrade has been cancelled as protesters flowed into the city from different directions.
The rally was part of a nationwide anti-rot movement that exploded after a concrete canopy collapsed at a station in northern Serbia in November, killing 15 people.
The almost daily demonstration, which began in response to the tragedy, has been in charge for the past 13 years, rocking the firm grip of Wützic in Serbia more than ever before. Many in Serbia have denounced the government’s corruption, negligence, disrespect for construction safety regulations and impulsive crashes, and called for victims to be accountable.
Before the demonstrations, Vucic repeatedly warned about plans for the allegations of anxiety, while threatening arrests and harsh sentences for the incident.
Several reporters from nearby Croatia and Slovenia have been turned back from the Serbian border, with explanations that their presence at the rally “represents a security risk.”
Vucic rejected previous proposals for a transitional government that organizes early elections. He argues that the Western intelligence agency is behind almost daily student-led protests with the aim of removing him from power. He has not provided evidence of his claim.
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