A student-led strike in Serbia on Friday closed down numerous businesses and many people didn’t go to work as populist President Aleksandar Vucic planned a big rally to counter growing anti-government protests that have challenged his grip on power.

"We have to talk to those children and they have to go to school. As for the students, despite everything, I invite them to a dialogue and to tell us what is not fulfilled. Come and tell us. Tell us publicly what exact request is not fulfilled", called the president.

Protesters have blocked traffic daily across Serbia to protest the deaths of 15 people killed when a concrete canopy collapsed at Novi Sad railway station in November. #EuropeNews

Students in Belgrade have staged a 24-hour blockade at a road junction in the "Autokomanda" neighborhood, part of the international E-75 route. They announced their plans in detail on social media, emphasizing that the protest would remain peaceful.

Many schools, bookstores, theatres and bars in Serbia's capital Belgrade and some other parts stayed shut on Friday in the latest anti-government protest triggered by a railway station roof collapse that killed 15 people in November.

Protesters allege corruption, nepotism, and substandard construction led to the tragedy in Novi Sad, where a concrete awning of the station roof caved in and killed 15 in November 2024

The student-led protests forced businesses throughout Serbia to shut their doors, including many schools as teachers' unions backed the call to strike. As well as Belgrade and Novi Sad, protest marches also took place in the southern city of Nis and smaller cities,

A woman injured a protester by ramming her car into an anti-government crowd during student-led protests in Serbia. Demonstrators are protesting government corruption, specifically related to a deadly train station canopy collapse.

Student-led protesters accuse Aleksandar Vucic's government of corruption and negligence after the roof of the Novi Sad train station collapsed, killing 15 people. They're calling for a general strike.

Nationwide protests occur on same day that President Aleksandar Vucic holds rally in Jagodina to try to counter persistent anti-government demonstrations

It happened during a student-led strike which shut down businesses and drew tens of thousands of people to demonstrations around the country.

A woman rammed a car into a crowd of anti-government protesters in Serbia's capital and injured one of them Friday, police said, as a student-led strike shut down businesses and drew tens of thousands of people to demonstrations around the country.