In Serbia, female students marked International Women's Day by leading protests against corruption

On International Women's Day, female students in Serbia took the lead in ongoing protests against corruption, with thousands joining a separate student-led rally to challenge the populist government, amid growing public discontent following a deadly incident linked to government negligence.

Female Students Lead Protests on International Women's Day in Serbia

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — On Saturday, female students in Serbia marked International Women's Day by taking a prominent role in the ongoing daily protests against corruption. Thousands of other protesters later joined a separate rally organized by students, which aimed to put pressure on the populist government.

Riot police were stationed at a bridge over the Sava River in Belgrade, where they prevented a group of farmers, traveling by tractor, from reaching the city center, where the protest rally was taking place. Despite the presence of police, no violent incidents were reported, and the protesters later united with the farmers in solidarity.

The female students leading the protests emphasized their goal of addressing the pervasive violence against women in Serbia. In Novi Sad, the northern city where protests have also been taking place, women demonstrators threw eggs at a municipal building to protest a sexist remark made by a senior local official.

The protests were part of a broader wave of demonstrations led by university students, which began after a tragic incident in November. A concrete canopy at a railway station in Novi Sad collapsed, killing 15 people. Many in Serbia believe the incident was the result of poor renovation work, which they argue was driven by government corruption. This belief has fueled widespread public dissatisfaction, leading to almost daily street protests that have become a challenge to the administration of populist President Aleksandar Vučić.

The protests, which address issues ranging from government corruption to gender-based violence, continue to gain momentum, drawing increasing attention from both domestic and international communities.

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