Serbia has entered its fifth straight night of turmoil, with anti-government protests spreading across the country and violent clashes erupting between demonstrators and police.

The latest unrest broke out in the city of Valjevo, where masked protesters set fire to offices belonging to the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). Police responded with stun grenades and tear gas. Videos circulating on social media appeared to show officers beating a man, sparking fresh allegations of police brutality. The Interior Ministry has denied the claims.

The demonstrations, which began after the deadly collapse of a railway station in Novi Sad last November that killed 16 people, have grown into a nationwide movement against President Aleksandar Vučić and his government. Critics blame the disaster on corruption and negligence.

Initially peaceful, the protests swelled to hundreds of thousands demanding early elections and systemic reforms. This week, however, tensions rose after pro-government supporters staged counter-rallies. Protesters have increasingly targeted SNS offices and coalition partners, including smashing windows at the Serbian Radical Party headquarters.

International observers have expressed alarm at the government’s response. Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner, condemned what he described as “disproportionate force” by police and urged Serbian authorities to halt arbitrary arrests and reduce tensions.

President Vučić has rejected calls for early elections, dismissing the protests as a foreign-backed attempt to topple his government. On Instagram, he described the unrest as “an expression of total weakness” and pledged to “punish the bullies.”

Russia, a close ally, has openly backed Vučić. Moscow’s Foreign Ministry defended Serbian police actions as “lawful methods” to contain what it called “violent mobs,” adding, “We cannot remain unresponsive to what is happening in brotherly Serbia.”

What began as grief over the Novi Sad disaster has evolved into the most serious challenge to Vučić’s 12-year rule, fueling broader anger over corruption, authoritarianism, and governance failures. With protests intensifying and international scrutiny mounting, Serbia appears poised for a prolonged period of political instability.