Serbia's Students Stand Up to Power

In Serbia's capital, Belgrade, a large group of people recently marched against violence aimed at university students. This march happened on the same day last year when pro-government supporters attacked drama students during a protest. That attack led to widespread student strikes and daily rallies across the country. The marchers, led by drummers and blowing whistles, carried big dummy heads representing the attackers. They stopped by the main court building, demanding justice for the attacks. Later, they passed a camp set up by the president's supporters near the presidency building. The march ended at the public broadcaster's headquarters, which protesters accuse of favoring the government. The protests in Serbia have been going on for a year. They started after a train station disaster in Novi Sad, where 16 people died. Protesters blame this on corruption and poor infrastructure, especially in projects involving China. The president, Aleksandar Vucic, has not called for early elections, as demanded by the students. Instead, he has cracked down on protesters, with police often using force to break up rallies. Many people have been detained or lost their jobs for supporting the students. Serbia wants to join the European Union, but the process has stalled. Vucic has close ties with Russia and China and has limited democratic freedoms. Critics accuse him of corruption and links to organized crime, which he denies.