A woman was seriously injured on Thursday after a driver rammed his car into a crowd during student-led protests in downtown Belgrade, Serbia.
The driver fled the scene but was later detained and will be charged with attempted murder, police said.
Newsweek reached out to Serbian authorities via email for comment.
Why It Matters
This incident marks the first serious injury in a series of demonstrations sparked by a deadly rail station canopy collapse in Novi Sad that killed 15 people in November.
The protests, initially centered on demands for accountability for the canopy disaster, have expanded into a broader critique of corruption and autocratic governance under President Aleksandar Vučić.
What To Know
The car struck the woman, throwing her onto its roof before she fell to the ground with head injuries. She was taken to the hospital in a conscious state and is reportedly in stable condition, according to state broadcaster RTS.
Hundreds of university students have gathered outside the law faculty in downtown Belgrade to support the injured woman and protest the government's handling of the crisis. They chanted "Killers" and "You will not be allowed to run us over."
What Sparked Months Of Protests In Serbia?
Initial protests in Belgrade began after the canopy at Novi Sad's railway station collapsed on November 1, killing 15 people and injuring several others. The station had been renovated twice in recent years under a partnership between Serbia and Chinese companies, raising allegations of corruption and substandard construction practices.
Since the collapse, Serbs have observed daily moments of silence and staged traffic blockades at 11:52 a.m., the exact time of the disaster. The movement has grown into a broader expression of discontent with Vučić's government, with demands for democratic reform and an end to state corruption.
Classes at Serbian universities have been suspended for weeks as students joined the protests, drawing tens of thousands of people to their rallies. Demonstrators accuse Vučić's administration of stifling dissent and using state security to intimidate activists.
What People Are Saying
Luka Stojaković, a student protest leader, told N1 television about alleged harassment from Serbia's state security agency last week. "They published our (personal) data, and no one was held responsible," he said.
"I expect that there will be more pressure. I know there will be."
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić previously alleged the student-led protests were "financed" from abroad to topple him from power by force.
What Happens Next
Details of the driver's motivations and the nature of the incident have yet to be confirmed by the police. Prosecutors in Serbia have charged 13 individuals, including a government minister, in connection with the Novi Sad collapse, though doubts about the investigation's independence persist. In the meantime, protests demanding answers have sustained.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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