oiip

26.03.2025
18:00

On Saturday, March 15, 2025, Serbia witnessed the largest anti-government protest in its history, with several hundred thousand people rallying in support of a student-led movement that has persisted for nearly four months. The demonstration took a dramatic turn when a 15-minute silent vigil was disrupted by an unusual and alarming noise, triggering a brief stampede. Many protesters and independent observers suspect the use of a sonic weapon to disperse the crowd – an allegation the authorities have denied while announcing legal action against those accused of spreading "disinformation.” This incident marks an escalation of state repression against peaceful demonstrators, students, professors – particularly the Rector of the University of Belgrade – independent journalists, and civil society organizations.

In response to numerous inquiries from international colleagues, we invite you to join a webinar on Wednesday, 26th of March at 18:00 CET to discuss these developments and their broader implications for democracy and civic resistance in Serbia. Please register now to secure your spot via

Discussants:
Marko Kmezić,
CSEES, University of Graz
Rule of law, corruption, and students' demands: What are the core grievances driving the protests?

Jelena Kleut
Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad
State repression and counter-narratives: How is the regime targeting activists and independent journalists?

Jelena Lončar
Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Belgrade
Crackdown on academia and the education system: Repression against schools and universities, and the state-led defamation campaign against the University of Belgrade’s Rector.

Luka Glušac
Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade, Escalation of violence and illegal actions: Car-ramming attacks, provocateurs, hooligan involvement, dissolved paramilitary groups, the role of Ćaciland, and the alleged use of military-grade sonic weaponry.

Moderated by:
Vedran Džihić
Austrian Institute for International Affairs – oiip

Online participation: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/QjhzLhuBS8qf9PysBgY3AQ.