Miloš Pavlović, the leader of the student group "Students Who Want to Learn," attended a press conference at the Emergency Center in Belgrade late last night, accompanied by Health Minister Zlatibor Lončar.

Appearing in a wheelchair with bandages on his arms, Pavlović described an incident of a "brutal physical attack" that occurred while he was peacefully sitting in a café in the Student Dormitory area with two colleagues.

The following morning, he was received by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić at the Presidency, where it was stated that the government would no longer tolerate violence.

Vučić likened protesting students to Nazis, escalating tensions in the political discourse surrounding student activism.

The events unfolded as Pavlović and his associates were at a café when a crowd gathered, chanting slogans directed at them.

Upon leaving the café, they were reportedly drenched in water, with bottles and cans thrown in their direction, accompanied by whistles and shouts.

Video footage circulating on social media indicates that police arrived at the scene while Pavlović was still inside the establishment, capturing moments where both he and a police officer were seen speaking on their phones.

Notably, there was no police intervention during the initial assault, which led to physical altercations.

In response to the incident, President Vučić characterized Pavlović’s evening as one involving "mineral water and cola" prior to the activation of a so-called "blocking gang," which he claimed surrounded the café in a manner reminiscent of horror films.

He offered historical comparisons, referencing the actions of Nazis in the late 1930s in cities such as Vienna and Munich to describe the perceived threats posed by the protesting students.

Pavlović echoed these sentiments in a press conference later, equating the attack on him to historical anti-Semitic actions, claiming they targeted him merely for sitting in a café and espousing different views.

The Serbian Assembly President, Ana Brnabić, visited the group in Pionirski Park, declaring the attackers as "the worst of the Nazis" and labeling those blocking the streets as a "Nazi blockade horde.” She emphasized that no one has the right to prevent students from attending their universities, asserting that the scene echoed past totalitarian actions.

Miloš Vučević, President of the Serbian Progressive Party, reinforced these sentiments, encouraging citizens to rise against what he termed "Nazi factions" and extolling Pavlović and his peers as symbols of freedom and resistance against political and fascist evils.

Health Minister Lončar condemned the actions as the "worst kind of fascism," calling for institutions to identify and punish the perpetrators of the violence against students seeking education.

He noted that while some students had returned home after treatment, others faced ongoing psychological trauma.

In contrast, comments from Goran Roglić, the Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry, highlighted the division within society as unacceptable, asserting that labeling students as Nazis was inappropriate.

He criticized the ruling government’s role in creating a polarized environment.

The informal network known as the Academic Plenary from Novi Sad called upon the Education Minister Dejan Vuk Stanković to condemn the President’s derogatory remarks about students.

It was stated that Stanković, both as a minister and professor, has a duty to support the students whom the President labeled as "criminals."

Last night marked the first physical attack on the students who advocate for educational reform following months of public demonstrations and occupation of Pionirski Park.

Police have detained six individuals suspected of involvement in the attack.

However, similar instances of violence against students have not received equivalent condemnation.

Just two days earlier, a student from the Faculty of Law, Petar Živković, was reportedly assaulted by masked individuals, resulting in head injuries requiring urgent medical attention, yet this incident did not garner the same level of official response.

The previous history of violence against students, including an instance in Novi Sad where a female student was left with serious injuries, continues to reflect a concerning disparity in treatment and response to student activism within Serbia.