Thousands of Serbians protest over deadly collapse of railway station awning

BELGRADE, Serbia

Thousands of people gathered in Serbia's second-largest city of Novi Sad on Tuesday after a concrete awning at a railway station collapsed last week, killing 14 people.

Protesters demanded accountability from officials and sought to march to the train station but were stopped by police.

Angry protesters later threw flares, red paint and wastewater at the City Hall building.

Police responded with tear gas canisters and arrested the former president of Indija municipality and Goran Jesic, a former vice president of the northern region of Vojvodina.

Demonstrators demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, who was the mayor of Novi Sad until 2022, and Novi Sad Mayor Milan Duric.

They also demanded the arrest, trial and punishment of those responsible for the accident.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said the state has taken all measures to ensure that those responsible for the tragedy are punished.

''We will do that. No one will get away with making any mistake, no matter how close they are to the government,” said Vucic.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said that at the rally in Novi Sad, which was not registered as required by law, there was a serious violation of public order and peace, attacks and damage to buildings, endangerment of property and attacks on the police, and on top of everything, damage to the reputation of Serbia related to the national flag.

"Members of the police showed restraint and reacted only in the case of the need to repel an attack," said Dacic.

''All perpetrators of violence and perpetrators of criminal acts and misdemeanors will be detained and criminal and misdemeanor charges will be filed against them,” he added.

On Sunday, protesters gathered in the capital Belgrade to demand the resignation of Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Goran Vesic.

Vesic submitted his resignation to the prime minister after the demonstrations.

At least 14 people were killed and three injured in the collapse on Nov. 1.

Police questioned at least 40 people in relation to the incident after suspicions of negligence were raised in the repair work carried out at the train station in 2021.