Students in blockade of Belgrade higher education institutions organized today, January 27, on Saint Sava’s Day, a protest titled “Knowledge Is Power.”
The students said that the state should rest on education, which is why it is no surprise that they chose the day of the gathering to coincide with the school patron saint’s day. Teachers, professors, and school principals who are facing consequences due to their support for students will speak at the protest, and after the gathering a protest walk to the Temple of Saint Sava is planned. The column will pass by Republic Square, along Kralja Milana Street, across Slavija.
At several locations in Belgrade today around 5:00 p.m., gatherings of students and citizens began, who are expected to head soon toward the building of the University of Belgrade Rectorate at Students’ Square, where the protest “Knowledge Is Power” begins at 6:00 p.m.
In front of the Faculty of Law, which is the main gathering point, several hundred students and citizens were present around 5:15 p.m., and they were expected to head toward the Rectorate building around 5:30 p.m.
Those gathered were on the plateau in front of the faculty and, for now, did not block traffic at the corner of Beogradska Street and Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra, reported a Beta agency reporter.
In the immediate vicinity of the Faculty of Law, no police units were visible, except for several traffic police vehicles parked on the side.
Increased police forces were seen in the area around the National Assembly building, near which there is an unhygienic tent camp with supporters of the authorities in Pionirski Park, reported a Beta agency reporter.
It is planned for the column from the Faculty of Law to move along Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra, then past the National Assembly building and Republic Square, to Students’ Square where the Rectorate is located.
Gatherings were also announced at the roundabout in New Belgrade, in Milutin Milanković Park in Voždovac, as well as in front of the First Belgrade Gymnasium.
After the gathering at the Rectorate and the official start of the protest at 6:00 p.m., a protest walk to the Temple of Saint Sava will begin, and the column will pass by Republic Square, along Kralja Milana Street, across Slavija.
“It is time to restore faith in education and expertise and to once again place them as the foundation of our society. Without knowledge there is no freedom, without law there is no state, and without responsibility there is no community,” the students said on Instagram, regarding the protest on the school patron saint’s day – Savindan.
According to them, the state should rest on education, on science, on continuous improvement and learning.
They also posted on Instagram footage from the student protest on January 27, 1997, which was attended by the then Patriarch Pavle.
Students in blockade of several faculties in Serbia are boycotting classes today, as a sign of solidarity with professors who have been dismissed.
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Source: N1 / Nova.rs ; Foto: Filip Krainčanić / Nova.rs