Serbia protests: Students lead massive rally against Vucic, thousands demand elections, dozens arrested

Dozens of anti‑government demonstrators were arrested in Serbia’s capital on Saturday night after hours‑long clashes with riot police that followed one of the largest protests against President Aleksandar Vucic in recent years.“We want elections!”- slogans were raised by protestors who overflowed Slavija Square and nearby streets during the student‑led rally, capping nearly eight months of near‑daily dissent that has shaken Vucic’s decade‑long hold on power.Protesters hurled eggs, bottles and other objects while police deployed shields and pepper spray. Officers were seen handcuffing detainees on the pavement; the interior ministry later said “dozens of hooligans” were in custody. Six policemen and an unspecified number of citizens were injured. “Serbia always wins in the end,” Vucic wrote on Instagram even as tensions flared. The former ultranationalist, accused by critics of eroding democratic freedoms while courting Russia and China, has repeatedly rejected calls for snap polls.“Elections are a clear way out of the social crisis,” one speaker declared. “Today, on June 28, 2025, we declare the current authorities illegitimate.” Another student, Darko Kovacevic, told the crowd: “We are mired in corruption.” Police estimated the turnout at 36,000; an independent monitor put it closer to 140,000. Interior minister Ivica Dacic accused protesters of attacking police and vowed all offenders would face justice. Serbia’s next presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled for 2027.