Bridge Blockade Continues in Novi Sad, Protests in over 20 Cities on Feb. 1

BETAPHOTO/Dragan Gojić

The blockade of the Freedom Bridge in Novi Sad continued on Feb. 2 after tens of thousands of university students and other citizens assembled at a Feb. 1 protest in Novi Sad, where the Varadin, Zezelj and Freedom bridges were blocked to mark three months since 15 people died after a concrete overhang at the Novi Sad railway station collapsed on them.

The Zezelj and Varadin bridges were blocked from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., while the Freedom Bridge is under a 24-hour blockade. The date of the protest coincides with Feb. 1, Novi Sad Day, in a symbolic call for responsibility and justice for the victims, the protesting students have said. Novi Sad students were joined in the city by fellow students from Belgrade who arrived on foot from the capital, but also by high-schoolers, motorcyclists, farmers, health care workers and many other citizens. People prepared food for the protesters near all three bridges across the Danube in Novi Sad.

The largest number of stands with food was at the Freedom Bridge, while a stage was set up nearby with a program designed by the protesting students.

Protests were held in more than 20 cities in Serbia on Feb. 1, and the Archive of Public Assemblies said in a post on the X social media platform that protests had taken place at least once in 200 cities, towns and villages in Serbia. Protests and demonstrations in support of Serbian students took place in many foreign cities over the weekend too --
from Zagreb, Split and Osijek to Berlin, Boston and Melbourne.