Two Years After the Canopy Collapse, Novi Sad Marks the Day That Changed Serbia
Sixteen people died at Novi Sad railway station on 1 November 2024. The anniversary falls a week after the movement it sparked won power.
At 11:52 on 1 November 2024, the concrete canopy over the entrance of Novi Sad’s recently renovated railway station collapsed, killing 16 people and seriously injuring one. As of this spring, the cause was still formally under investigation.
From grief to a movement
The disaster became the starting point for Serbia’s largest protests in decades. Students and citizens blamed negligence and corruption in the station’s reconstruction and demanded accountability. Monthly commemorations — silent gatherings, walks to the station, 16 minutes of silence — became a ritual in Novi Sad and other cities. On the first anniversary tens of thousands gathered in Novi Sad, and the government declared a day of mourning.
A different anniversary
This year the date falls on a Sunday, a week after the Student List — the electoral expression of that movement — won a parliamentary majority. Families of the victims continue to press for answers. For the incoming majority, the anniversary is a reminder of its central promise: that responsibility for the collapse will be established.
Sources
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