On 15 March, a mass protest rally was held in Belgrade, organised by students who demanded criminal and political accountability for the death of 15 people when a shed collapsed at the Novi Sad railway station on 1 November.

The informal organisation Archive of Public Assemblies estimates that between 275 000 and 325 000 people gathered in the centre of Belgrade. At the same time, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said the military and other security services estimated that between 88,000 and 107,000 people had gathered.

In his address to the nation, Vucic said the government had "got the message" after the protest, which he said was carried out with "enormous negative energy, anger and rage towards the authorities." 

Columns of people have been streaming into downtown Belgrade since morning, blocking much of the city.

Students and citizens from different parts of Serbia took part in the protest.

Officially, the protest started at 4 pm (5 pm Bulgarian time) in front of the Serbian parliament, where a camp of "students who want to study" (pro-government - ed.) is located nearby. Police and student guards were deployed between them in a blockade.

The protest then moved to Slavija Square, about a kilometre and a half away, where students made speeches and there was a 15-minute silence for the 15 people who died in the Novi Sad train station incident.

The students at the blockade accused the authorities of using a sound cannon during the 15-minute silence for the 15 dead, a claim that was denied by the Interior Ministry.

Around 7:00 pm (local time), minor incidents occurred near Pioneer Park, where the "students who want to study" camp is located, after which the students in the blockade declared the protest over. 

In front of the Serbian Parliament, a group of people continued to light torches in front of the police. As time passed, however, this area also emptied and most of the demonstrators dispersed by 23:00 (local time).

Soon after the protest ended, normal traffic was restored in most parts of Belgrade. | BGNES