For the fifth consecutive night, violent protests erupted across Serbia as demonstrators set fire to ruling party offices and clashed with riot police, marking a dangerous escalation in anti-government unrest initially triggered by a deadly infrastructure failure. President Aleksandar Vučić faces mounting pressure over corruption allegations while Russia pledges support to his embattled administration.
Anti-government protesters, police forces, President Aleksandar Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), and coalition partners like the Serbian Radical Party are central to the conflict. International actors including Russia and the Council of Europe have become involved, with human rights officials condemning police tactics.
The immediate trigger occurred when masked protesters attacked and set fire to SNS offices in Valjevo late Saturday night (August 16, 2025), continuing a week of escalating violence. This follows nearly nine months of sustained demonstrations sparked by a November 2024 railway station collapse in Novi Sad that killed 16 people.
Major clashes unfolded in Valjevo, Belgrade, and Novi Sad – three of Serbia’s largest cities. In Valjevo, protesters specifically targeted SNS facilities while Belgrade saw riot police deploy stun grenades and tear gas against crowds. The ruling party’s headquarters and coalition partner offices became focal points for vandalism.
Core grievances stem from alleged government corruption linked to the 2024 railway disaster, with protesters demanding early elections to end Vučić’s 12-year rule. Recent violence intensified after pro-government groups staged counter-demonstrations last Wednesday, creating volatile standoffs. Videos circulating on social media showing police brutality against a Valjevo protester further inflamed tensions.
Protesters employed arson and property destruction against party offices, while police responded with crowd-control weapons. Masked individuals initiated the Valjevo attack during nighttime demonstrations, with clashes spreading rapidly. Unverified footage suggests officers used batons excessively during arrests, drawing condemnation from human rights monitors.
The Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner publicly denounced ‘disproportionate force’ by police, urging an end to arbitrary arrests. Over 30 injuries have been reported nationwide this week. Russia’s foreign ministry pledged support to Vučić, framing police actions as necessary against ‘violent mobs’, potentially escalating geopolitical tensions in the Balkans.
President Vučić vowed via Instagram to ‘punish the bullies’ while dismissing calls for early elections as foreign-backed plots. With protesters planning sustained actions and Russia signaling intervention, Serbia faces deepening instability. Human rights organizations are demanding independent investigations into police conduct as the government weighs further security measures.