Blockade of Gazela Highway Concludes; Approximately 180 Minors Disrupt Traffic
Teenagers organize highway protest in support of student demands, causing significant disruption in Belgrade.
A blockade of the Gazela highway in Belgrade was concluded after several hours of disruption caused by a group of approximately 180 minors.
Initially, around 480 individuals had gathered to halt traffic.
The protest took place during peak afternoon hours, leading to pedestrians crossing the bridge and traffic congestion on the nearby Brankov bridge, prompting police to redirect vehicular flow.
The protesters, identified as high school students, claimed their actions were in solidarity with university students who are currently on strike and in support of their teachers' demands for improved material conditions.
Participants indicated that the decision to block the highway stemmed from its significance as one of the busiest routes in Belgrade.
Demonstrators chanted slogans such as "Fulfill the demands" and "General strike", while carrying banners like "We will play loud for justice".
At various points, they also sang a children’s song titled "The Bumblebee swore on the flower and the honey".
The group initially assembled near the National Assembly before marching along Kneza Miloša Street to reach the highway.
The act of blocking a highway is classified as a criminal offense in Serbia, and it has been reported that such actions can cause considerable material damage to the citizens.
Opposition parties, accused of leveraging student participation in protests, have allegedly orchestrated the blockade as part of a broader agenda to disrupt daily life in the city.
Plans for the blockade were previously announced on an Instagram profile associated with self-organized students from a local mathematics high school, indicating the blockade would last four hours.
In a statement, Slavica Đukić Dejanović, the acting Minister of Education, noted that currently, 2.4% of elementary and secondary schools in Serbia are closed, with 49 high schools, mostly gymnasiums, remaining inactive.
She mentioned that one elementary school plans to resume classes the following day.
Initially, around 480 individuals had gathered to halt traffic.
The protest took place during peak afternoon hours, leading to pedestrians crossing the bridge and traffic congestion on the nearby Brankov bridge, prompting police to redirect vehicular flow.
The protesters, identified as high school students, claimed their actions were in solidarity with university students who are currently on strike and in support of their teachers' demands for improved material conditions.
Participants indicated that the decision to block the highway stemmed from its significance as one of the busiest routes in Belgrade.
Demonstrators chanted slogans such as "Fulfill the demands" and "General strike", while carrying banners like "We will play loud for justice".
At various points, they also sang a children’s song titled "The Bumblebee swore on the flower and the honey".
The group initially assembled near the National Assembly before marching along Kneza Miloša Street to reach the highway.
The act of blocking a highway is classified as a criminal offense in Serbia, and it has been reported that such actions can cause considerable material damage to the citizens.
Opposition parties, accused of leveraging student participation in protests, have allegedly orchestrated the blockade as part of a broader agenda to disrupt daily life in the city.
Plans for the blockade were previously announced on an Instagram profile associated with self-organized students from a local mathematics high school, indicating the blockade would last four hours.
In a statement, Slavica Đukić Dejanović, the acting Minister of Education, noted that currently, 2.4% of elementary and secondary schools in Serbia are closed, with 49 high schools, mostly gymnasiums, remaining inactive.
She mentioned that one elementary school plans to resume classes the following day.
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