site.btaSerbian Students Embark on 340-Km March to Commemorate Anniversary of Novi Sad Tragedy

Serbian students began a 340-kilometre march on foot from Belgrade to Novi Sad in memory of the 16 people who died when the canopy at the train station in Novi Sad collapsed on November 1, 2024, regional broadcaster N1 reported on Thursday.

Before beginning their journey, the group held a 16-minute silence in tribute to the 16 victims of the tragedy. The students plan to walk 20 to 25 kilometres per day and will post daily route updates on social media.

Student Emina Spahic told N1: “We don’t really know what lies ahead, whether we will face rain, snow, wind, or storms, but I truly believe we are ready for anything”. Spahic added that she hopes locals will offer support and shelter along the way but noted that the group has come prepared. “We’ve brought a tent so, if necessary, we will camp under the open sky,” she said.

Earlier this year, students from across Serbia walked to cities including Novi Sad, Nis, Kragujevac and Belgrade in a show of solidarity with the victims’ families and to voice anti-corruption demands against the ruling authorities.

The Novi Sad tragedy triggered the emergence of a student-led protest movement, which analysts have compared to the spirit of the youth uprisings of 1968. Students have been at the forefront of anti-government demonstrations that quickly grew into mass protests. In May, for the first time, they called for early elections. This summer the protests escalated into civil disobedience, clashes with police, and mass arrests.

In the early hours of July 29, a group of about 20 masked and hooded individuals stormed the building of the State University of Novi Pazar yelling: “Fire! Everyone out!” Radio Free Europe’s Serbian service said that the University was occupied by students.