site.btaStudents to March from Belgrade to Novi Sad Marking Anniversary of Canopy Tragedy

Students from Belgrade will once again walk the distance to Novi Sad in memory of the 16 people who died as a result of the collapse of the canopy of the train station in the northern Serbian city on November 1, 2024, private Serbian television station Nova reported on Wednesday.

The students' march will begin on October 30 from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in the Novi Beograd district of the Serbian capital, and according to a pre-approved plan, they will follow the same route they took at the end of January this year. The march will end at the site of the tragedy in the Serbian capital, where a memorial plaque will be unveiled.

“We ask citizens who wish to join us to be in good physical health so that the march does not have to slow down to provide first aid,” the students emphasized to Nova TV.

They said they are ready for this march, “both physically and mentally, and that their will and desire for justice keep them energetic.”

The students from Novi Sad invited their colleagues from Belgrade to join the commemorative event in memory of the 16 victims, which will take place on November 1. The invitation from the students was joined by associations of citizens in Novi Sad, who expect citizens from all over the country to arrive in the city between October 30 and November 1.

Because of the tragedy in Novi Sad, students blocked more than 60 faculties and led protests that turned into mass demonstrations, demanding criminal and political accountability for those responsible. In May, students called for early parliamentary elections and announced that they would support a civic list but would not run for seats in the Serbian National Assembly.

During the summer, the protests escalated into riots, clashes with the police, acts of civil disobedience, and mass arrests.