July 2025.
As part of the program Regional Initiative for combating disinformation “Western Balkans Combatting disinformation Center: Exposing malicious influences through fact-checking and Analytical Journalism“, we present you a new analysis of fake news and disinformation narratives.
BRIDGES AND THE ENTIRE CITY UNDER SIEGE: The new hellish plan of the blockade terrorists, they want blood and dead bodies on the streets!
After the authorities failed to respond to the ultimatum of civic initiatives and student organizations, which included the demand for the announcement of early parliamentary elections, social tensions in Serbia further escalated. A turning point occurred after the protests organized on Vidovdan, when numerous citizens and students were detained in police actions, which the public interpreted as an attempt to intimidate and restrict the right to freedom of expression.
As a sign of solidarity and in response to measures they deemed repressive, local communities and student groups across the country decided to undertake peaceful but visible forms of civic resistance. Blockades of intersections, roads, and central city streets were organized, through which participants sought to draw attention to their demands and reaffirm the importance of participatory engagement in preserving democratic standards.
The Prime Minister and president of the Serbian Progressive Party, Miloš Vučević, assessed that “the blockades in Serbia represent terrorism, not civil disobedience,” and that “with these insolent, seemingly nonviolent actions they disrupt the normal functioning of citizens.” Here, a strategy of delegitimizing the protests is evident through terminology that implies violence and threats to security, although in practice the blockades were nonviolent and conducted in accordance with models of civil disobedience typical of democratic movements.
Vučević further stated that “the most disgusting thing is that they enjoy someone not being able to move freely, that they harass and exhaust the police.” However, reports from numerous independent media outlets and video footage from the field show the opposite dynamic – the police applied physical force against demonstrators, including detaining students and citizens. Thus, the narrative of “harassing the police” finds no basis in documented facts.
Furthermore, the claim that the protests’ goals are “to funnel public money into private pockets,” as well as accusations of “destroying the state” and “overthrowing the president,” represent unfounded insinuations not confirmed by any official demands of the students and civic initiatives. On the contrary, the declared goals of the protests focused on fighting corruption, improving security, and holding institutions accountable after tragedies that shook the public.
Particularly problematic is the statement that the organizers of the blockades are connected with narratives about the “genocidal Serbian people” and “finishing the Kosovo issue.” These claims are not contained in any student statement but represent a rhetorical strategy by the authorities to associate the protests with politically sensitive topics in order to diminish their legitimacy and public support.
This approach is further reinforced through pro-government media, which published claims such as those in Informer that the goal of the blockades is “blood and dead bodies on the streets,” or in Alo, which calls the demonstrators “groups of thugs” who “endanger citizens’ safety.” None of these accusations are supported by evidence, and the official demands of the organizers have never included violent methods or political topics such as Kosovo or genocide.
The real goals of the protests were clearly defined: institutional accountability after tragedies, fighting corruption, and insisting on fundamental democratic principles. Blockades of roads and intersections were a form of civil disobedience – nonviolent, legitimate pressure when institutional mechanisms fail. Despite attempts at criminalization, the size of the protests, which at their peak exceeded 300,000 people, shows broad social support and a focus on the rule of law rather than the destabilization of the state.
Author: Nataša Stanojević
