(14 Mar 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Belgrade, Serbia – 14 March 2025
++NIGHT SHOTS++
1. Various top shots of people awaiting students
2. Various of people on the street awaiting students
3. People waving Serbian flags
4. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Uros Nenadovic, student from Belgrade:
"We are here tonight to support all the citizens, all the students. We are also students. We came here to try and fight for a better Serbia, so that tomorrow will be better for us, and I hope we will succeed. Tonight we, with the citizens of course, are waiting for students from all over Serbia and tomorrow I hope we will see each other in large numbers.”
5. People with Serbian flags
6. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Marko Vukovic, student from Belgrade:
”I came here tonight to support my friends, colleagues and all the citizens who think for themselves, to fight for a more just Serbia and in a way pay respect to the victims of this tragedy (in Novi Sad) but all the tragedies that happened over the years for which no one was held accountable.”
7. Bikers on the street
8. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Marija Milic, Student from Belgrade:
”I expect a peaceful protest and that students’ requests will be finally fulfilled.”
9. People on the street
10. Flag reading (in English) “Fight the power”
11. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Aleksa (no last name given), Student from Belgrade:
"I am here tonight to support people who walked from all over Serbia. I think that is important for the moral of the protest and we from Belgrade have to welcome them.”
12. Various top shots of the people awaiting students
STORYLINE:
Serbia’s capital Belgrade was on edge on Friday ahead of a major anti-government rally this weekend, with populist President Aleksandar Vucic’s government ramping up efforts to dissuade people from attending with warnings of violence and arrests of opponents.
Thousands of students and others are converging in Belgrade from all over Serbia for Saturday’s protest, which is seen as a culmination of months of anti-graft demonstrations in the Balkan country and a test for Vucic’s right-wing government, which has faced mounting popular discontent.
Students who have been marching or cycling toward Belgrade for days are expected to arrive on Friday evening for a festival-like welcome downtown.
"Tonight we, with the citizens of course, are waiting for students from all over Serbia and tomorrow I hope we will see each other in large numbers,” said Uros Nenadovic, one student waiting in Belgrade.
The autocratic Serbian president has repeatedly warned that violence is planned at the rally and threatened arrests over any incidents.
Vucic’s supporters have been camping in the city center, fueling fears of clashes with the protesters.
Police on Friday detained six activists and members of an opposition party on suspicion of “preparing actions against the constitutional order and security” after an alleged recording of their meeting was broadcast on pro-government television stations the previous day.
Previous student-led rallies in other Serbian cities have been peaceful while drawing huge crowds.
On Friday, tractors were parked around a park outside the Serbian presidency building in Belgrade where Vucic’s supporters, including former paramilitary fighters, have organized a counter-protest.
Riot police were seen deploying in the park.
Authorities said the Parliament building across the street will be locked for the next three days for security reasons.
AP video shot by Almir Alic, Nenad Nesic, Ivana Bzganovic
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