Nationwide Protest in Serbia: Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis Brought to Standstill

A full blockade of several major Serbian cities was launched on the morning of July 4 in protest against police violence. The action, initiated by students, began at 7:00 a.m. Bulgarian time and affected Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis, Kragujevac, Valjevo, and included a planned highway closure near Cacak.

The call for the demonstrations came from Serbian student groups, who issued a public appeal through their official X account. They urged citizens of all backgrounds - bikers, veterans, taxi drivers, farmers - to join them in a complete halt of city life. "Everyone on the streets," the message read, citing police brutality as the reason for the mobilization. The students from Novi Sad's Faculty of Technical Sciences similarly announced a synchronized protest in their city.

In Nis, an informal student collective encouraged residents to gather in front of the District Court at 7:00 a.m. Their message was pointed: "Tomorrow Nis stops. When those who are supposed to uphold the Constitution and the law stop doing so – then everything must stop." They emphasized that their protest would continue throughout the day. Groups representing students from other occupied universities echoed the same message, saying the July 4 protests in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis, and Kragujevac were a response to police violence targeting peaceful demonstrators and students alike.

President Aleksandar Vucic responded in a late-night video address on Instagram, pleading with demonstrators to abandon the planned blockades. Speaking not as a head of state but “as an ordinary person,” he called the actions illegal and dangerous. Vučić argued that the blockades infringe on the Law on Road Safety and violate the constitutional right to freedom of movement. He also claimed that the protests serve the interests of those who “do not love Serbia,” both inside and outside the country, accusing them of trying to disrupt daily life and provoke chaos.

He emphasized that Serbia supports freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, but warned that what he described as "this type of violence" would not be tolerated. “Serbia is a serious and responsible country,” Vucic said. “It will remain that way tomorrow and every other day.”

The Interior Ministry backed the president’s message with a formal warning on the evening of July 3, stating it would take all necessary measures to preserve order. Authorities made it clear that anyone violating the law would face criminal and administrative proceedings.