Hundreds of Serbian students started arriving in Belgrade on Friday night to get ready for a significant protest against the government scheduled for Saturday.
Before the demonstration scheduled for Saturday, students from numerous villages and towns throughout the nation united, making their way to the capital on foot, as spectators observed and offered encouragement.
Tensions were high in Serbia’s main city as a significant protest against the government loomed, with officials under President Aleksandar Vučić intensifying their attempts to discourage participation.
The rally is viewed as a crucial test for Vucic's administration, which has faced increasing public discontent manifested in months of anticorruption demonstrations in the Balkan country.
On Friday, the UN Human Rights Office demanded that the protest should remain peaceful and appealed to the Serbian authorities to uphold international law.
"The UN Human Rights Office has cautioned Serbia about its duties under international human rights law to safeguard and uphold the complete range of freedoms related to peaceful assembly and free speech," stated Jeremy Laurence, who serves as the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for HumanRights (OHCHR).
Although past student-organized demonstrations in various Serbian municipalities have remained calm even with large attendances, President Vucic has consistently cautioned that acts of aggression are anticipated during this particular gathering and has hinted at potential arrests should any disturbances occur.
His followers have set up camp in the heart of the city, surrounding a park near the Serbian presidential headquarters in Belgrade with tractors. This has raised concerns about possible confrontations.
City authorities in the capital have stated that the Parliament building opposite will remain closed over the coming three days for safety concerns.
The countrywide anticorruption campaign in Serbia commenced over four months ago when a concrete awning collapsed at a train station in the northern part of the country, resulting in 15 fatalities, is primarily fueled by university students.
Vucic's firm hold on power in Serbia has been shaken by nearly daily protests, and the movement for change is gaining traction.