Students at the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad staged a protest today, blocking access to the building in response to the dismissal of Professor Jelena Kleut. Tensions escalated when police intervened, forcibly removing students and faculty members from the premises. Reports indicate that officers from the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs deployed special units to manage the situation, using physical force to clear the area.
Video footage circulating on social media captures the chaotic scene, showing police wielding shields and batons against the gathering crowd. According to N1 Serbia, the police’s actions resulted in injuries, including a reported broken nose of one student during the confrontation. Eyewitnesses noted that all students and professors were cleared from the building, leaving only university administration and law enforcement inside.
The protest was part of a broader movement among students, following a demonstration on January 17, which focused on the upcoming parliamentary elections. Entitled “What Does Victory Mean?”, the earlier protest aimed to raise awareness about issues concerning electoral integrity and democratic processes.
In light of the growing student activism, demonstrators announced this event as a new phase in their ongoing movement. Key themes of their electoral program include calls for lustration and legislation regarding the origin of property. The response from authorities has been increasingly stringent, suggesting a potential crackdown on dissent following the exposure of these political proposals.
The incident reflects a continuing pattern of police intervention in student protests within Serbia, raising concerns about freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly. As the situation develops, many observers will be watching closely to see how it impacts both student activism and governmental responses in the region.
