Serbian students hold overnight bridge blockade 3 months since deadly canopy collapse

NOVI SAD, Serbia — Spending the night in tents and sleeping bags in cold weather, Serbian students on Sunday led an overnight Danube bridge blockade in the northern city of Novi Sad as part of their growing anti-graft movement demanding major changes in the Balkan country.

Dozens of farmers parked their tractors by the Most Slobode, or Freedom Bridge, saying they want to guard the students from incidents and potential attacks by sympathizers of Serbia’s powerful President Aleksandar Vucic. Novi Sad residents brought them tea and coffee, pancakes, pastry and cooked food.

University students in Serbia are leading a massive anti-corruption movement that was triggered by the Nov. 1. collapse of a concrete canopy at the central train station in Novi Sad, killing 15 people.

Critics believe graft led to a sloppy job during the reconstruction of the train station, poor oversight and disrespect of safety regulations. The issue has come to symbolize a wider discontent over the rule of law in Serbia.

“Well, the only way to end this (protest) is that our all demands are met,” said student Lucija Maslakovic. The students have demanded a thorough investigation, publishing of all rail station renovation documents and punishment for those responsible for the canopy collapse.

Daily protests throughout Serbia pose a major challenge for Vucic. The student-led movement already forced the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, Vucic’s ally, and the government earlier this week.

Tightly controlled pro-government media have mostly ignored the protests, occasionally carrying fake news and photos that show empty streets and claiming that the Novi Sad rally was a “disaster” because of what they said was low turnout.

The state broadcaster RTS made a surprise exception on Saturday and carried live coverage of the protest in Novi Sad that was attended by tens of thousands.

The ruling Serbian Progressive Party was quick to react, strongly condemning the “scandalous coverage” of the bridge blockades in Novi Sad. According to Vucic’s party, state TV has “violated all the rules and values ​​of objective and impartial journalism with its scandalous reports.”

The students stayed at one of the Novi Sad bridges through the night after blocking all three city bridges on Saturday. Tens of thousands of people joined in, swarming the streets in further pressure on the governing populists.

“I support them fully, I can’t believe how well they are organized, mature and good,” said Jelena Djordjevic, a university professor from Novi Sad. “They are just incredible.”

The student protest has struck a chord in graft-plagued Serbia, where few citizens feel that state institutions, which are firmly under populist control, are working in public interest. Many believe that the collapse was essentially caused by government corruption in a large infrastructure project with Chinese state companies.

To pass the time on Saturday evening and overnight, the students played basketball and volleyball, listened to music, played chess or card games. In the morning, they could be seen clearing the garbage ahead of more protests.

Hundreds had walked from Belgrade to Novi Sad for two days ahead of the blockades.

At 11:52 p.m. on Saturday, the protesters held 15 minutes of silence for the 15 dead in the Nov. 1 canopy collapse. Two children were among the victims.

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Associated Press writers Jovana Gec and Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade, Serbia, contributed to this report.