A year after student protests that shook Valjevo: Serbia at a crossroads

The video lasts only a few seconds. A man lies on a street in Valjevo, a city about 90km (56 miles) southwest of the capital, Belgrade. Several police officers surround him, striking him as he lies on the ground.The footage became one of the most recognisable pieces of evidence of police violence during student-led protests that shook Serbia.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Photos: Clashes in Belgrade as student-led protests challenge Vuciclist 2 of 4Kushner Island? Why a planned resort has provoked protests in Albanialist 3 of 4Protesters in Serbia doubt Vucic resignation will bring changelist 4 of 4Serbia’s protesters press on even after Vucic promises to step asideend of listIt was August 14, 2025.In the year since, the protests have grown into a mass movement challenging the longstanding political dominance of President Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia’s leader of more than a decade, who has sought to balance close ties with Moscow with the country’s declared path towards the European Union.Blockades spread across the country. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets. And students moved beyond their initial demands for accountability over the collapse of a concr...