Thousands of anti-government protesters clashed with police in Serbia’s capital Belgrade. The demonstrators, mostly led by university students, called for early parliamentary elections and accused President Aleksandar Vucic’s government of corruption and authoritarian rule. The protest, one of the largest in months, marked nearly eight months of ongoing demonstrations that began after a deadly building collapse blamed on government negligence.
Meanwhile, Vucic’s government has refused to hold early elections, accused protesters of being foreign-influenced, and cracked down on media and universities. Ahead of the protest, police arrested several people and blocked travel to the city.
