Civil disobedience and student-organised road blockades continued across Serbia on July 1 as anti-government protests entered their third consecutive day, causing widespread disruptions and social tension in several cities.

Thousands of demonstrators, led by student groups, have blocked key roads and intersections nationwide since June 29. The protests were triggered by a confrontation with riot police during a mass rally in Belgrade late on June 28.

Student organisers had previously issued an ultimatum to the government to call early elections, warning of renewed civil disobedience if their demands were not met. With no response from authorities, demonstrations escalated.

The latest unrest coincides with the eight-month anniversary of the fatal canopy collapse in Novi Sad that killed 16 people. Citizens gathered at the site of the collapse on July 1, while activists staged a protest outside the offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), toppling garbage bins marked “ballot box”.

Protesters are demanding the release of individuals detained during the June 28 Vidovdan demonstration and the calling of early parliamentary elections. Student leaders have called on citizens to suspend work and continue peaceful disobedience until the demands are addressed.

Tensions flared on July 1 in the Belgrade municipality of Zemun when a car attempted to force its way through a blockade. According to video footage, a passenger exited the vehicle, removed metal barriers and toppled bins standing in his way. The car then advanced, hitting a woman, who fell but appeared uninjured and quickly got back on her feet.

While the movement has received support from various segments of society, some residents have grown weary of the disruptions to their everyday life and have voiced frustration over the daily blockades, which have made commuting in temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius increasingly difficult.