Serbian students and teachers have started a protest march to Niš, traveling on foot, by bicycle or as part of an organized marathon, which is scheduled for March 1. The initiative is part of the nearly four-month-long protests and student blockades in Serbia, demanding political and criminal responsibility for the tragedy at the Novi Sad train station on November 1, which killed 15 people.
A plan for an 18-hour blockade of the university city was published on the Instagram account "Students from the Blockade". "Every second of this protest we are writing a new page of history", states the publication, which calls on citizens to join and show solidarity with the students.
The meeting points for the marathon participants, cyclists and pedestrians are listed in separate publications. Students from Čačak have already arrived on foot in Kraljevo, while their colleagues from Bujanovac have reached Vranje. A group of teachers from Novi Sad and Belgrade, traveling by bus, have arrived in Bor and are continuing their journey on foot to Niš, Serbian media reported.
A large part of the students from Kragujevac, who set off for Niš this morning, were carrying the Serbian flag on their backpacks, as can be seen from publications on social networks. One of the marchers is wearing a garlic wreath as a talisman, regional television channel En1 reported.
The columns traveling to Niš are accompanied by applause, and the sound of vuvuzelas and drums adds to the atmosphere of the protest.
The students are also taking action to secure overnight accommodations in Niš after it became clear that the prices of accommodation in the city have increased significantly.