Serbian police detained 79 people overnight as student-led protests and acts of civil disobedience entered their fifth consecutive day, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said on July 3.

The arrests come amid growing unrest across the country, with demonstrators blocking roads and intersections since June 29. The wave of protests began with a mass rally in Belgrade on June 28 that drew an estimated 140,000 people. The protest, held on Vidovdan – a national and religious holiday – ended in clashes between demonstrators and police.

The recent turmoil follows eight months of largely peaceful demonstrations sparked by a deadly incident in Novi Sad last November, when a canopy roof collapsed at a newly-renovated train station and killed 16 people. Student groups, who have become the driving force behind the movement, issued an ultimatum to the government last week demanding early elections and warning of escalated civil resistance.

With no official response, blockades have intensified nationwide. Police, in turn, have stepped up efforts to disperse demonstrators, leading to confrontations in several cities. Authorities reported that 1,297 individuals were checked for identification overnight on July 2-3 and 79 were taken into custody.

Videos circulating on social media show riot police dismantling barricades and forcibly dispersing crowds. Protesters allege that officers have used excessive force, a claim the government denies. Officials maintain that police were attacked while attempting to restore public order.

All roadblocks in Serbia have been removed with traffic restored, according to the authorities. However, in a number of cities, including Belgrade, several isolated incidents have occurred.

A number of people have been detained for violating public order and committing crimes. "As a result of actions by the participants of roadblocks, four policemen were injured and one vehicle of the Interior Ministry was damaged," Serbia’s Interior Ministry noted.

President Aleksandar Vucic addressed the situation on July 3, saying even “illegal gatherings” are tolerated in Serbia. “The police protect such criminal gatherings on a daily basis,” he told reporters, accusing organisers of operating outside legal boundaries while insisting the right to assembly remains protected.

Now entering its ninth month, the student-led movement presents one of the most significant domestic challenges to Vucic’s more than decade-long rule. The president faces a political dilemma: calling early elections could backfire amid declining public support, while a harsher crackdown risks alienating Serbia’s most important international partner, the European Union.

Despite a heavy police presence, the protests show no signs of abating. The forceful response by policy may only strengthen the movement and provide it with renewed momentum – making Vucic’s wait-and-see strategy increasingly untenable.