Violent confrontations erupted late Wednesday between anti-government demonstrators and supporters of President Aleksandar Vucic’s ruling Serbian Progressive Party in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis and several smaller cities. Riot police deployed tear gas and batons after masked men hurled flares, fireworks and bottles near SNS offices, smashing shop windows and leaving streets littered with debris. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic confirmed at least one police officer was injured in Novi Sad, while state broadcaster RTS and local outlets reported dozens of overall casualties, including up to 16 officers, and more than 60 people seriously hurt. Police said several protesters were detained during the clashes, which continued into the early hours of Thursday. The student-led protest movement began in November after a renovated railway-station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad, killing 16 and fuelling allegations of corruption in state infrastructure projects. Demonstrators have since drawn hundreds of thousands nationwide, demanding early elections and the resignation of officials they blame for graft and lax safety oversight. Vucic, who has held power for 13 years, addressed supporters camped outside parliament, saying, “We are not going to let you destroy Serbia.” Opposition activists accuse the president of stifling media freedoms and tolerating organised crime links. Student leaders called for fresh rallies outside SNS offices, raising the prospect of further unrest unless the government concedes to demands for an early vote and an independent inquiry into the Novi Sad disaster.