STORY: Supporters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) threw flares and fire crackers at anti-government protesters in Novi Sad on Wednesday (August 13) evening, prompting police to intervene to end the standoff.

Months of protests across Serbia following the death of 16 people killed when a roof on a renovated railway station in Novi Sad collapsed, have rattled President Aleksandar Vucic and his SNS party.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said one policeman was injured in Novi Sad. N1 TV footage showed flares and fire crackers being thrown at protesters from the direction of the SNS offices.

Later near the parliament building in Belgrade, police in riot gear blocked anti-government protesters approaching the area where Vucic's supporters have been camping since March.

On his Instagram account, Vucic, a former ultranationalist who converted to the cause of European Union membership in 2008, published a video showing him sitting with supporters in front of the parliament.

Also in Belgrade, near SNS city headquarters, protesters clashed with police who prevented them from approaching the SNS offices.

The protesters have blamed corruption for the Novi Sad railway roof collapse and have demanded early elections that they hope would remove Vucic and his party from power after 13 years.

They have accused Vucic and his allies of ties to organised crime, violence against rivals and curbing media freedoms. Vucic has denied the accusations.

On Wednesday evening, students who are leading the protests called supporters to protest in front of SNS offices in major cities in Serbia including Belgrade, Novi Sad, Kragujevac, Cacak and Nis, after several protesters were injured in clashes with SNS in the town of Vrbas on Tuesday evening.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: SUPPORTERS OF THE RULING SERBIAN PROGRESSIVE PARTY (SNS) THROWING FLARES AND FIRE CRACKERS AT ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTERS/ FIREWORKS CRACKLING/ PROTESTERS THROWING ITEMS AT POLICE/ VIDEO STATEMENT BY SERBIAN PRESIDENT ALEKSANDAR VUCIC

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: NOVI SAD, SERBIA (AUGUST 13, 2025) (N1 – No access Serbia)

1. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE THROWING FIRECRACKERS

2. PEOPLE FILMING/ SMOKE RISING NEAR RULING PARTY'S OFFICE

3. FIREWORKS CRACKLING/ POLICE OFFICERS WITH SHIELDS AT SCENE

4. VARIOUS OF FIREWORKS CRACKLING OVER SMOKE

5. FIREWORKS CRACKLING

6. POLICE OFFICERS AT SCENE

7. PROTESTERS STANDING BEHIND POLICE OFFICERS

BELGRADE, SERBIA (AUGUST 13, 2025) (VIDEOPLUS – Access all)

8. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS THROWING ITEMS AT POLICE

9. POLICE OFFICERS WALKING THROUGH SMOKE

10. PEOPLE RUNNING

11. POLICE OFFICERS DISPERSING PROTESTERS

12. PEOPLE STANDING NEAR TEAR GAS SMOKE RISING

13. TEAR GAS SMOKE RISING IN THE CROWD

BELGRADE, SERBIA (AUGUST 13, 2025) (ALEKSANDAR VUCIC INSTAGRAM - Access all)

14. (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) SERBIAN PRESIDENT ALEKSANDAR VUCIC, SAYING:

"Terrible things were done tonight in Novi Sad, they are still doing them, but when you show will and desire to solve things with peace, endurance and patience, then you always bring victory in the end."

BELGRADE, SERBIA (AUGUST 13, 2025) (VIDEOPLUS – Access all)

15. VARIOUS OF POLICE CORDONS STANDING IN FRONT OF STUDENTS

16. VUCIC SUPPORTERS BLOWING WHISTLES OUTSIDE SERBIAN PARLIAMENT