Serbia's interior ministry has announced a series of arrests after a Serbian student who has become a symbol of opposition to ongoing university blockades was attacked by a mob in Belgrade late on June 4.

Miloš Pavlović, a law student and leader of a group advocating for the resumption of classes, was assaulted near Student City in New Belgrade, according to local media reports and footage circulating on social media.

Pavlović and his supporters, often referred to as “contra-students”, have been staging counter-protests against the months-long blockade of Serbian universities, which has left campuses closed for seven months.

According to Serbia’s public broadcaster RTS, Pavlović was taken to the Emergency Center with head, chest and arm injuries. He later appeared in a wheelchair alongside Health Minister Zlatibor Lončar, who said he had sustained blows to the head.

Speaking to local media, Pavlović described the attack as unprovoked. “We were attacked for no reason, just because we were there,” he said. “The feeling that came over me was not just fear — it was chills.”

Pavlović said he and two companions, Vladimir Balać and Luka Lalošević, were sitting in a café near the Studenjak student dormitory when they were surrounded by a crowd. “They hit us with cans and punches. They knocked us to the floor,” he said.

Video clips shared on social media appear to show large crowds of students confronting Pavlović’s group, chanting and throwing objects as they exited the café. Four men have been detained in connection with the attack, according to local police.

Pavlović is known for his public appearances with President Aleksandar Vučić and his leadership of the contra-student encampment at Pionirski Park, near the presidential offices in central Belgrade. His group calls for an end to the student-led blockades, which were launched in response to the tragedy at Novi Sad railway station in November 2024.

Opposing student groups have accused Pavlović’s faction of being politically co-opted. Critics claim his close relationship with the government undermines the authenticity of his movement.