Thousands march in Serbia to mark 1 month since a roof collapse killed 15 people

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This article was published 01/12/2024 (372 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NOVI SAD, Serbia (AP) — Thousands joined a protest march on Sunday in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad that marked one month since a concrete canopy ouside of the city’s railway station collapsed, killing 15 people and injuring two.

Protesters held a huge banner with a red handprint at the front of the column — a message for the populist authorities that they have blood on their hands. Participants later left the same symbolic message on the pavement at the main square in Novi Sad while also painting much of the square red.

Street protests and blockades have been held almost daily since the Nov. 1 roof collapse, demanding accountability after tons of concrete fell on people sitting or walking below on a sunny day.

The railway station building was renovated twice in recent years. Many in Serbia believe rampant corruption and opaque deals resulted in sloppy work and led to the collapse of the roof.

While prosecutors have announced the arrests of 13 people, a Serbian court has since released from detention former government construction minister Goran Vesic. This has fueled widespread skepticism of the ongoing investigation, as the populists control both the police and judiciary.

The march on Sunday in Novi Sad was held in silence and passed peacefully, unlike some traffic blockades in past weeks when pro-government supporters have sought to disrupt the gatherings and scuffled with the protesters. Scuffles have also erupted in Serbia’s parliament between the ruling party and opposition lawmakers.

The protests are seen as a challenge for Serbia’s authoritarian President Aleksandar Vucic, whose populist government holds firm control over the mainstream media and institutions.

Vucic on Sunday defended his supporters’ appearance at the opposition-led traffic blockades. Vucic said halting traffic presented the “ultimate violence” against citizens.

Opposition parties are demanding the resignation of Serbia’s prime minister and his government, as well as access to full documentation on the train station building and other infrastructure projects carried out in conjunction with Chinese state companies.

The station in Novi Sad was originally built in 1964. Its renovation was part of a bigger project with China and Hungary to build a high-speed railway between Belgrade and Budapest.