Masked police officers in Belgrade violently dispersed student protesters with batons on election day, in scenes captured on live video that have drawn international condemnation and raised fresh questions about democratic backsliding in the Western Balkans.
The clashes, documented by Sloboden Pecat, occurred outside the Belgrade Rectorate as students protested alleged electoral irregularities and government pressure on academic institutions. Video footage shows riot police charging protesters and striking students and journalists with batons, prompting panicked crowds to flee.
The timing of the violence—on election day itself—carries particular significance. International election monitors have expressed concern about the climate of intimidation surrounding the vote, which pits President Aleksandar Vučić's governing coalition against a fragmented opposition.
Serbian authorities defended the police action, claiming protesters had blocked access to public buildings and ignored orders to disperse. Interior Ministry officials stated that officers used "proportionate force" and made multiple arrests for disorderly conduct.
Student organizers rejected this characterization, stating the protest was peaceful until police initiated violence without warning. "We were singing and chanting when they charged us with batons," one organizer told reporters. "This is what democracy looks like in Serbia under Vučić."
To understand today's headlines, we must look at yesterday's decisions. Serbia's democratic trajectory has been a source of European concern for years. President Vučić, while formally pursuing membership, has steadily concentrated power, pressured independent media, and maintained close ties with even after the invasion.
