Serbians mark railway disaster that led to rise of victorious student movement

Tens of thousands of people gathered at Novi Sad’s main train station on Sunday to mark the anniversary of a deadly roof collapse that helped spark Serbia’s student-led anti-corruption movement. The concrete awning fell shortly before noon on November 1, 2024, killing 16 people. Mourners observed 16 minutes of silence and laid wreaths, flowers and candles near the site. The disaster occurred at a station renovated under a China-backed high-speed rail project and was seen by protesters as evidence of corruption under President Aleksandar Vucic. The movement culminated in last week’s election victory by a student bloc, which won 141 seats in parliament ahead of final results.