Driver charged with attempted murder after protest chaos in Belgrade
A dramatic incident occurred in Belgrade when a driver drove into a group of protesting students, seriously injuring a young woman. The driver has been detained, and the prosecutor has charged him with attempted murder.
On Thursday in Belgrade, a troubling event unfolded as a car drove into a group of students. The students, as part of their daily protest, had halted traffic for 15 minutes to honor the memory of the 15 victims of the Novi Sad tragedy. Suddenly, a car drove into their midst.
As a result of this incident, a young woman was seriously injured and taken to the hospital. The driver was apprehended by the police.
The 39-year-old man driving the vehicle was captured after fleeing the scene. The prosecutor charged him with attempted murder with particular cruelty. Serbia's Minister of Internal Affairs, Ivica Dačić, stated that the perpetrator had been previously convicted seven times for various offenses.
Protests after the accident
The 20-year-old woman who was struck is in stable condition. The hospital where she was taken reported that she is responsive, but additional diagnostics are being conducted due to the injuries sustained.
Following the incident, thousands of students and residents of Belgrade blocked an intersection near the law faculty, where the injured woman is a student, in protest. The demonstrators then marched towards the prosecutor's office, chanting slogans such as "You will not be allowed to run us over" and "Killers." They also carried banners reading "Everyone to the blockades."
Tragedy in Novi Sad
Protests in Serbia have been ongoing since the beginning of November, with participants demanding political and criminal responsibility for the accident in Novi Sad on November 1. Massive demonstrations and blockades of transport hubs and universities are being organized. The majority of actions are initiated by student groups, which demand, among other things, the public release of documents related to the Novi Sad station reconstruction and holding accountable those attacking demonstrators.
The concrete section of the roof of the Novi Sad train station collapsed just a few months after its grand opening following a three-year renovation. Fifteen people were killed. The Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad charged 13 people, including former Minister of Construction Goran Vesić. The politician resigned a few days after the accident.
