Public tensions are rising again in Serbia. On Wednesday, 21 January, students at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Novi Sad began a blockade of the building after learning that the university had terminated the employment of Prof. Jelena Kleut. Protesters demanded that she be reinstated, arguing that the decision was retaliation for her support of the student demonstrations that have been ongoing in the country since late 2024.

Reports indicate that throughout the day the dean urged the crowd to leave the building. At around 4 p.m., police entered the faculty premises and removed the protesters. Videos published online appear to show the use of force against participants in the blockade; some students, quoted by Serbia’s N1 television, said they were hit and pushed back with police shields.

The intervention in Novi Sad triggered further gatherings in other cities. In Belgrade, demonstrators blocked traffic in front of the parliament building, and protests were also reported in Niš and Kragujevac. Numerous riot police units were present at the various assemblies.

The latest student mobilisation is part of a broader wave of anti-government protests that, according to organisers and some media outlets, has continued since late 2024 and is linked to a tragedy in Novi Sad. On 1 November 2024, part of the canopy at the railway station—after renovation works—collapsed, killing 16 people. Protesters accuse the authorities of negligence and corruption, demand accountability, and increasingly call for early elections.

For now, it remains unclear how the dispute surrounding Prof. Kleut will develop or how long this new surge of protests will last. Student groups, however, are signalling further actions, insisting that their aim is to put pressure on state institutions and defend university autonomy.