Police in Belgrade used batons during a protest in the city center on Tuesday night, which was organized following the controversial entry of law enforcement into the Rectorate building of the University of Belgrade earlier that day.
After initially withdrawing toward Republic Square, riot police units and members of the gendarmerie moved down Francuska Street, while protesters returned to gather in front of the Rectorate building, where the demonstration had been scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM.
Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry, Goran Roglić, addressed the crowd via megaphone, stating that deans from other faculties would ensure that the police leave the Rectorate safely. He added that Rector Vladan Đokić would address the public afterward, a statement that was met with disapproval from demonstrators.
At a press conference, Police Director Dragan Vasiljević said the operation was carried out under orders from the Public Prosecutor’s Office and authorized by the Higher Court in Belgrade.
“I would like to emphasize that a large number of pyrotechnic devices, including signal flares, firecrackers, sprays, and numerous handheld radio devices, were found,” Vasiljević stated.
Meanwhile, a solidarity protest was also held in front of the Rectorate building of the University of Novi Sad, where students and citizens expressed support for their colleagues in Belgrade.
Members of the Criminal Police Directorate had entered the Rectorate premises earlier as part of an ongoing investigation into the death of a 25-year-old student from the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade. Authorities restricted access to the building, and Rector Đokić was served with a court order permitting a search of the institution’s offices.
Following the incident, students used social media to call for a protest at Student Square in Belgrade later that afternoon, drawing a significant turnout and escalating tensions between demonstrators and police.
