Violence erupts at Belgrade protests as victim's mother begins hunger strike

2025-11-03 09:47:38, Kosova & Bota CNA

Violence erupts at Belgrade protests as victim's mother begins hunger

Violence and tensions were reported during a protest held in Belgrade on the evening of November 2 in support of Dijana Hërka, the mother of one of the 16 victims killed as a result of the collapse of a concrete shelter at the Novi Sad railway station a year ago.

She has started a hunger strike, demanding accountability from those who, she says, killed her child.

During the protest, pyrotechnic devices were thrown at the protesters by government supporters who had gathered in another area.

Clashes later broke out between the two groups, but the police quickly intervened and stopped them.

During the protest, Dijana Hërka addressed the police with a megaphone, saying that this institution would be blamed for the incidents.

After a while, security was reinforced with gendarmerie forces.

Students who have been protesting for a year now have called on everyone not to get involved in the fighting.

"Dijana Hërka should not be left alone," the students said in a post on X - formerly Twitter - adding that the most important thing is her safety, but that if Hërka decides to continue the strike and protest, then she needs to have adequate support.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vu?i? has accused citizens who supported Dijana Hrkan of "brutal attempts to attack the symbol of freedom - Pioneers Park", the Beta news agency reported.

Vu?i? said that those organizing the strikes are in contact with many US Embassy officials.

"This is something expected and does not surprise us, because we have monitored these contacts of those who wanted to cause chaos with foreign structures," he said.

The Serbian Ministry of Interior and the Security and Intelligence Agency (BIA) have issued a joint statement condemning the incidents in Belgrade.

Dijana Hërka started the strike at the memorial event in Novi Sad on November 1, where tens of thousands of people commemorated those who were killed a year ago.

Even a year after the tragedy, no one has been found guilty.

The tragedy in Novi Sad has sparked the largest protests in decades against the government in Serbia.

Protesters are demanding early elections, something that Vucic's regime has consistently rejected./REL