Workers, lawyers and professors in Serbia have joined student-led protests against President Aleksandar Vucic, as demonstrations demanding justice for a deadly infrastructure collapse and alleged government corruption intensify.

Employees of the state-owned Post of Serbia staged a spontaneous strike on January 21 in solidarity with the protests, according to Stefan Mitrovic of the Sloga Post Office Workers' Union. Mitrovic noted that the walkout was self-organised and unrelated to formal union actions.

The protests, which began following the November collapse of a canopy at the Novi Sad train station that killed 15 people, gained momentum on January 18 as professors joined students on the streets. Students accuse Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) of corruption and nepotism. Vucic and the SNS deny the allegations.

The Bar Association of Serbia announced a seven-day suspension of work, starting January 20, to support the protests. The decision has faced legal challenges, including lawsuits filed by lawyers Goran Petronijevic and Dragan Krajnovic. While the Supreme Court initially supported Petronijevic’s case, the High Court in Belgrade rejected Krajnovic’s latest appeal.

“Justice must be served, and we cannot remain silent when lives are lost due to systemic failures,” said Dusan Kokot, president of the Independent Union of Educational Workers.

The protests have spread to Serbia’s education sector. Teachers in more than 50% of schools refused to begin the new semester on January 20, according to Kokot. Demonstrations and strikes were reported in towns and cities across the country, including Nis, Novi Sad, Kragujevac and Zrenjanin.

State energy company workers at Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) have also pledged to support the protests, organising their own strikes in solidarity.

On January 16, tensions escalated when a driver rammed into student protesters in Belgrade, injuring a young woman. A civil society organisation subsequently filed a criminal complaint against Vucic, accusing him of inciting violence.

Protesters have also targeted state broadcaster RTS, alleging pro-government bias. Tens of thousands gathered outside its Belgrade headquarters on January 17, demanding impartial coverage.

Students are calling for accountability for the Novi Sad tragedy, the release of individuals arrested during previous protests and an end to what they describe as widespread corruption and nepotism. As support grows across multiple sectors, the protests pose a significant challenge to Vucic's administration.