Echoes of History and the Clang of Shields: A New Show of Strength in Serbia

“Morning of the Struggle — 17 June 2025”

Author: Did you see how the city awoke today?

The Interlocutor: Yes—just as the first rays of dawn brushed Novi Sad’s rooftops, the thunderous clang of gendarmerie shields shattered the morning silence.

At around 6:38 a.m. on 17 June, just before the plenary session of the Novi Sad Assembly, gendarmes forcibly pushed back assembled students, using violence: one protester lost consciousness after being struck in the head, another was detained, and photos and videos of the incident flooded the X timeline, according to Nova.rs. 

That morning clash became the latest spark in a wave of protests smoldering across Serbia for months—and today it threatens to emerge in full flame.

In that dawn’s heat, old wounds and new hopes collide: students take to the streets again, civil groups collect signatures for early elections, and analysts warn of government attempts to “ban the fairy tale” of protest. In the following sections, we’ll show how the morning clang of shields became a symbol of civic resistance and pinpoint where the new energy for change is gathering.

“From Tragedy to Mass Protests”

The Interlocutor: Do you remember the tragedy at the Novi Sad railway station on 1 November last year?

Author: How could I forget—when the canopy collapsed and killed 15 people, the nation convulsed in grief and rage as the first self-organized student and faculty march was broken up by attackers.

Since then, students have held memorial actions and local pickets, but on 14–15 March 2025 the movement reached a new scale. Under the banner “15 for 15,” hundreds of thousands gathered in Belgrade—one of the largest student protests in decades.

No violence occurred as authorities had threatened, but an unexpected incident and the first talks with academics and lawyers set the tone for subsequent demands for judicial reform and transparency.

The Interlocutor: That “quiet fifteen minutes” turned out to be louder than any shouted slogan.

Author: Exactly—it sparked a new wave of civic resistance that has since evolved into concrete demands and direct action.

After March, the protest “headquarters” moved closer to the halls of power: academics, medical workers, and observers pitched tents outside the Belgrade Assembly to monitor sessions around the clock. The full story of that night watch and its atmosphere is detailed in “Night at the Assembly: How Academics, Doctors, and Observers Are Rewriting the Rules,” on Covalent Bond.

Meanwhile, protests have spread nationwide. Today in Novi Sad, students called for a blockade of the Assembly—and despite the morning crackdown, held a peaceful demonstration in front of the First Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office under the slogan, “Law Above All.” 

Multiple independent media outlets and human-rights groups streamed live and published reports on police and protester actions, ensuring transparency and inspiring new participants.

The Interlocutor: Today was especially “fiery.” Let’s review the key episodes of this morning.

Author: Agreed—three events set the tone for this new wave of protest.

Morning Crackdown at the Novi Sad Assembly

At around 6:38 a.m., gendarmes stormed the square before the Assembly building, pushing back students. One protester lost consciousness after two baton strikes; another was detained. Photos and videos from the scene were posted to X, according to Nova.rs.

“They Kicked Us…”

Injured students recounted how police went beyond standard tactics, kicking protesters in the groin and face:

“They hit one young man in the head twice—he passed out. Another was punched in the eye, kicked in the groin, and his glasses were shattered.”

A detailed report and video interview are available on Nova.rs .

Blockade of the First Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office: “Law Above All”

An hour after the dispersal, the students called for a protest at the Novi Sad prosecutor's office, chanting: "The law is above all - answer for blows for no reason!". Nova.rs also wrote about it.

“Civil Initiatives Today”

The Interlocutor: While gendarmes and students were at odds in Novi Sad, another wave of mobilization swept the country.

Author: Tell me more.

“Free University of Niš” and the Petition for Early Elections

Activists in Niš announced a signature-gathering campaign to dissolve parliament and hold snap elections. Under the slogan, “If we persist, Novi Sad will face forced administration and then local elections,” students and faculty are canvassing neighborhoods and offices to explain their cause and collect signatures. Details in the Nova.rs report.

Message from Zurabishvili: “Resist to the End”

Former Georgian president Salome Zurabishvili unexpectedly joined the movement, calling on Serbs not to relent until they achieve justice. In a video address on X, she stressed that “youth energy can break the inertia of power if not allowed to fade.” Reported by N1.

The Interlocutor: Zurabishvili, you could say, “brought a Georgian breeze” to the Serbian protest.

Author: And it only rallied activists more—they felt both international support and heightened responsibility.

“Political Reaction and Ideological Challenges”

The Interlocutor: As the streets blaze, the authorities are not silent. What do analysts say?

Author: Let’s turn to political analyst Vesna Kandić.

“The Fairy Tale Under Ban”

Vesna Kandić, founder of the Humanitarian Law Center, told Al Jazeera Balkans that authorities are portraying student protests as “frivolous fun” to push for legal restrictions on mass assemblies:

“They want to declare our actions illegitimate and intimidate participants with fines and bans. But this only underscores their fear of the students’ real demands.”

Attempts at “De-Ideologizing” the Protest

Local officials have claimed the actions are orchestrated by “black PR agencies” and “foreign handlers,” aiming to fracture participants along ideological lines. Yet the reality of peaceful blockades and open assemblies—documented by live media coverage—demonstrates the protests remain inclusive and nonpartisan.

The Interlocutor: In other words, the authorities try to snuff out the “spark” before it becomes a flame?

Author: Exactly—but each new day proves the opposite: students and civic activists grow ever more organized and resourceful.

“Symbolism and Historical Memory”

The Interlocutor: Protests weave history into their fabric like old threads in a new tapestry.

Author: Indeed, nowhere is it clearer than on Vidovdan, when the past mirrors present demands.

“Dve Srbije” on Vidovdan in Belgrade

On St. Vitus Day (June 28), students and activists planned to hold an action called "Dve Srbije" - "Two Serbias". Under the national flags, they "took away" symbols from the authorities: the flag, anthem and festive attributes to return them to citizens as "banners of common memory and hopes", Nova.rs says. This became a metaphor for the split between power and society: two Serbias - the one that declares progress and the one that fights for basic rights on a daily basis.

Vidovdan as a Cornerstone of National Identity

Vidovdan, observed on 15 June by the Julian calendar (28 June Gregorian), commemorates Prince Lazar and the fallen at the 1389 Battle of Kosovo.

• For Serbs, it is not merely a religious feast but a “day of memory and hope,” when the historic struggle for freedom informs today’s discourse.

• Key national milestones—from declarations of war to constitutional adoptions and landmark speeches—have been marked on Vidovdan, giving the date enduring political resonance.

The Interlocutor: See, when students take to the streets under the Vidovdan banner, they pass the torch from those who fought on Kosovo’s fields.

Author: Absolutely. Historical memory turns protest from mere reaction into a centuries-old dialogue between the people and power.

“Justice and Impunity”

The Interlocutor: The cumbersome machinery of justice engaged in the “Meja” case—who is it actually trying?

Author: Let’s unpack the details of the trial in absentia.

Kosovo’s Largest In Absentia Trial Launched 16 June

The largest absentee trial in the history of Kosovo has started in Pristina: a special prosecutor's office charged 53 people, including General Momir Stojanovic (former head of the Military Security Service), commanders of parachute and missile brigades, as well as officers of internal troops, Balkaninsight tells about it. They are all suspected of a "joint criminal enterprise" of Operation Losha Reka (April 27-29, 1999) - the murder of 370 civilians in the vicinity of Diakovica, the deportation of 20,000 Albanians and the robbery of their property.

Legal Novelty and Legitimacy Doubts

In-absentia trials were introduced into Kosovo law in 2019 (Article 303 of the Criminal Procedure Code), and since 2023 have been used for war-crime charges. Yet, as former military prosecutor Dragan Pašić notes, such verdicts “lack legal force under international standards” because they deny defendants cross-examination and full defense.

Critique of Vague Charges

Former Military Court president Đorđe Trifunović argues that the “Lomsa Reka” indictment outlines numbers of killings and mass-grave sites but fails to detail each accused’s actions—suggesting a political motive to “assert Kosovo’s sovereignty”.

Right to Retrial

The law allows anyone convicted in absentia to request a new trial upon arrest with full defense rights—but it remains unclear how many of the 53 will ever set foot in Kosovo to claim that right.

The Interlocutor: A cruel paradox: those fighting for justice compile evidence for decades, only to try their suspects “on paper,” never facing them in court.

Author: Indeed—this erodes trust in the judiciary and deepens the sense of “two Serbias”—one legal, one living by its own rules.

In that tense predawn clash at the Novi Sad Assembly, Serbia once again saw its history of struggle reflected—from the tragedy of the collapsed canopy, through the “quiet fifteen,” to mass demonstrations on Vidovdan. Simultaneously, the sprawling in-absentia trial “Convicted on Paper” reminded us of the enduring deficit of justice and how the quest for truth often becomes a judicial mirage . These events offer no ready answers but sustain an unsettled dialogue between society and power, where each new episode reverberates with the past while setting the tone for unpredictable change.