Understanding the March 15 Protests and State Repression in Serbia
Understanding the March 15 Protests and State Repression in Serbia
On Saturday, March 15, 2025, Serbia witnessed the largest anti-government protest in its history, with several hundred thousand people rallying in support of a student-led movement that has persisted for nearly four months. The demonstration took a dramatic turn when a 15-minute silent vigil was disrupted by an unusual and alarming noise, triggering a brief stampede. Many protesters and independent observers suspect the use of a sonic weapon to disperse the crowd – an allegation the authorities have denied while announcing legal action against those accused of spreading "disinformation.” This incident marks an escalation of state repression against peaceful demonstrators, students, professors – particularly the Rector of the University of Belgrade – independent journalists and civil society organizations.
Discussants:
Marko Kmezić
CSEES, University of Graz Rule of law, corruption, and students' demands: What are the core grievances driving the protests? Jelena Kleut Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad State repression and counter-narratives: How is the regime targeting activists and independent journalists?
Jelena Lončar
Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Belgrade Crackdown on academia and the education system: Repression against schools and universities, and the state-led defamation campaign against the University of Belgrade’s Rector.
Luka Glušac
Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade, Escalation of violence and illegal actions: Car-ramming attacks, provocateurs, hooligan involvement, dissolved paramilitary groups, the role of Ćaciland, and the alleged use of military-grade sonic weaponry.
Moderated by:
Vedran Džihić
Austrian Institute for International Affairs – oiip