Tense days ahead as tens of thousands line streets for anniversary of Novi Sad tragedy
The organisers said they didn’t want people to bring banners or whistles, and there were no political speeches. Today was about commemoration, not protest.
However, the image of tens of thousands lining the city’s avenues was a statement in itself.
People had been travelling to Novi Sad for days. The train line from Belgrade was shut because of a reported bomb scare and some roads had been closed, but the crowds slowly making their way to the centre of the city were vast and all ages.
It was sombre and quiet.
I saw doctors and medical staff in uncontrollable tears as they laid wreaths to the 16 dead.
The train station, supposed to be a symbol of Serbian modernity and big infrastructure, has become a symbol of corruption and cost-cutting for many.
Today it is empty, the exposed concrete beams a reminder of what happened 12 months ago and motivation for a protest movement that has grown over the year and is demanding change.
Why a huge march is happening in Serbia today
The police and state security, feared by many here, were nowhere to be seen today. As I put my earpiece in, preparing to go live on Sky News, one person mistook me for police.
“You’re not welcome here today,” I was told, before he realised his mistake.
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Instead Serbian war veterans, now a part of the protest group, were the visible presence and a sign of how the movement has spread through generations.
They protected the families of the victims as they laid flowers outside the building where their loved ones died.
Doves released in memory of the victims. Pic: AP/Marko Drobnjakovic
Serbia’s President had declared 24 hours of national mourning on Friday evening – it probably helped lower tensions but will have done little to reduce the anger.
The day passed without violence, as was hoped, but there is little doubt that tense days lie ahead.
The Serbian government is under pressure but so far unmovable. This has become a battle for the future of the country.
The protest movement believes it has momentum, and they seem absolutely determined to carry on.
