Tens of thousands of protesters converged in Serbia’s capital Belgrade Saturday in what could be the largest in a series of anti-corruption demonstrations that have upended the Balkan country in recent months.
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At least 107,000 people gathered in Serbia’s capital, Belgrade on Saturday to protest against what they describe as government corruption, according to the interior minister.
The ministry reported no major incidents during the rally, which began around midday and reiterated the government’s call for calm. The protest was marked by the loud blare of whistles, drums, and vuvuzelas, with some demonstrators holding banners that read, “He’s Finished!” The crowd chanted “Pump it Up,” a slogan popularised during four months of student-led protests.
“I expect this to shake his authority and for Vucic to realize that people no longer support him,” said Milenko Kovacevic, one of the protesters.
The rally, likely the largest anti-government protest in Serbia’s history, follows over four months of demonstrations against corruption, posing the most significant challenge to President Aleksandar Vucic’s 13-year rule.
The protests were sparked by the deaths of 15 people in a railway station roof collapse, which led to accusations of widespread corruption and negligence. However, with supporters of Vucic’s government also gathering in the capital, concerns about potential clashes were on the rise.
The massive rally is not the endgame in a struggle for a more democratic Serbia, Dejan Simic, a protester, said. “This is just the beginni