Vučić’s heavy-handed rule has been shaken by the demonstrations, which began when a railway station roof collapsed in the city of Novi Sad last autumn, killing 16 people. The protests were started by students who blamed the tragedy on government corruption, but have since expanded to involve a cross-section of society.

Police aggressively dispersed protestors at an anti-government rally in Belgrade, whereover 100,000 demonstrators gathered on June 28 to demand snap elections. The rally marks the latest mass action in a protest movement that started last fall,

Riot police in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, used pepper spray and tear gas against anti-government protesters demanding new elections and an end to the long rule of President Aleksandar Vucic, even as counterdemonstrators also took to the streets.