Hundreds of demonstrators led by university students rallied outside Radio Television of Serbia's headquarters in Belgrade, accusing the state broadcaster of echoing claims that their protest movement was financed from abroad. The gathering formed part of a widening campaign demanding accountability after the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad killed 15 people on November 1.
Participants blew whistles, booed and placed improvised bags of money outside the broadcaster's building. The gesture mocked President Aleksandar Vučić's allegation that students had been paid by Western and other interests to destabilize his government. Protesters demanded a public apology and criticized RTS for what they described as a long-standing pro-government, nationalist editorial line.
The movement had already disrupted teaching at more than 40 university faculties. Students said their demands extended beyond publication of records about the station renovation. They wanted criminal accountability for the collapse and prosecution of people accused of attacking peaceful demonstrators, including students observing 15 minutes of silence for the victims. Blockades had begun after students at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts were attacked during one such commemoration on November 22.
Vučić announced the previous evening that documents related to the Novi Sad station reconstruction would be made public. The government began releasing material on December 12 and said it would disclose records that could indicate a criminal offense. Vučić also said detained students were being released and suggested he could pardon those convicted over disorder. He argued that the protesters' stated demands had therefore been met.
Student assemblies rejected that assessment. In a joint statement, representatives of blockaded faculties at the University of Belgrade and University of Arts said physical and verbal pressure continued and that alleged attackers had not been prosecuted. Their decision to maintain the blockades showed that the release of documents had not resolved their broader concerns about institutional responsibility.
Prosecutors had opened an investigation and detained 13 people, according to the supplied reporting. The release of a government minister fueled public doubt about the process. Many protesters connected the canopy failure to corruption and poor construction oversight involving a Chinese-led railway upgrade. Officials had earlier said the canopy was not part of the recent reconstruction, while the station had reopened in July after authorities said it met European standards.
The rally therefore joined two grievances: scrutiny of the fatal infrastructure failure and anger over how public television characterized those seeking answers. The evidence does not establish the cause of the collapse or prove allegations of corruption, but it documents sustained student action despite the government's concessions.
