Students in Serbia Protest Anniversary of Alleged Police Brutality in Valjevo

Students in Valjevo, Serbia, are organizing a protest to mark the one-year anniversary of alleged police brutality. The demonstration aims to remember citizens injured during clashes between protesters and police on the night of August 14-15, 2025. Participants will gather outside the local gymnasium at 7 p.m. before the main program begins at 8 p.m. Students highlighted that Valjevo experienced severe conflict that night, with numerous citizens sustaining injuries. Video footage from the time appears to show riot police using batons and physical force against individuals, including a 15-year-old boy lying on the street. Some affected citizens have pursued legal action, with their legal team reporting that 27 individuals filed criminal complaints against 28 police officers and unknown officers in October for suspected unlawful conduct. The Serbian government stated on August 17, 2025, that accountability for the Valjevo incident needed to be established, while also condemning violence against police officers. The case was transferred to the Republic Public Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime in May 2026, indicating that the question of responsibility remains before the institutions nearly a year after the events. The students emphasized their renewed gathering on August 14 is not for forgetting but to remind everyone that accountability should not diminish with time. They seek to remember the injured and reiterate the unanswered question: who will be held responsible for what occurred on August 14, 2025?

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That is why on August 14, we are gathering again in Valjevo. Not to forget what happened, but to remind that responsibility must not depend on how much time has passed. To remember the people who were injured that night. And to ask again the question that has remained without a clear answer: who will be held responsible for what happened on August 14, 2025?