During the three-hour blockade of the Branko bridge, mail was delivered to those who died in 2023 in "Vladislav Ribnikar" Primary School, Dubona and Mali Orašje, as well as in the fall of the canopy in Novi Sad. Educators called on other professions to rebel
A three-hour blockade was held Branko's Bridge in Belgrade "Everyone to the bridge because it's enough", and educators called on other professions to revolt and support them and the students in the blockades.
Students in the blockade, they stated on social networks that the protest was organized as a form of support for educators of primary and secondary schools in Belgrade.
The protest began at 15 p.m. with gatherings on both sides of the bridge, and during the three-hour blockade, mail was delivered to those killed in 2023 in Vladislav Ribnikar Primary School, Dubona and Mali Orašje, and in the fall of the canopy of the Novi Sad railway station.
Speeches and three performances were held, and educators handed over the baton to representatives of the IT profession.
At the end of the Branko bridge blockade, the song "Arise Serbia" was sung, which officially ended the protest.
The bridge as a symbol of connecting people
The bridge was chosen as a location because it connects the old and new parts of the city and symbolizes the connection of people.
"This is something completely different today. It's the first time we're on the bridge. We didn't choose the Branko bridge by chance. It's a symbol of unity, solidarity - it brings people together. We chose it because it connects the old and new parts of the city and the activities will take place in the middle of the bridge," Vera Stanković, a Serbian teacher at the "King Petar I" Elementary School, told N1.
The protest ended around 18:1 with the delivery of mail to those who died on November XNUMX in the fall of the canopy of the reconstructed railway station in Novi Sad.
Citizens and students gathered at several locations in the city, from where they went in processions to the Branko Bridge.
Mia Bakić from the Faculty of Philosophy told N1 that a "connection" is happening in the middle of the Branko bridge.
"Two threads are being tied from the Old Town side and in the noise in the middle of the bridge, the educators started from the Old Town side, and the IT sector from the New Belgrade side. Now the tying is happening and the baton is being handed over to the IT sector, which will be the next to keep the flame of rebellion alive and then hand it over to someone else," said Bakić.
She added that the four levels of the education system are now together.
"And the whole message of the gathering is pointing out how important it is to be together, even when we are different. But we have to come out of all this strengthened, to show how important it is to put our differences aside in order to fight together for those things that are important," she emphasized.
Diverse program
The program began with speeches by teachers and professors of primary and secondary schools.
"We stand to defend what connects us all - truth, justice, dignity. We ask ourselves today - what happens when they try to destroy the bridges between us? We have seen how people are intimidated with unknown weapons, how students are called enemies of the state, we have seen dismissals, dismissals, persecutions - everything to break a nation. But, this bridge is not a place of separation, but a place of meeting. We unite today. They will not stop us. If bridges are a symbol of life, demolition bridge is the destruction of life," she said during the blockade.
Then the names of those who died in elementary schools Vladislav Ribnikar and Dubona and Mali Orašje were read and a 19-minute silence was held.
A solidarity performance by educators was also held on the bridge.
There were a line of female teachers holding sticks.
Those for N1 say that the performance symbolizes the folk tale "Seven Rods", which in fact represents the unity and indomitable will of educational workers to persevere in their demands and intentions.
They met in the middle of the bridge, tied the rods.
They carried the rods to the middle of the bridge, and from the other side of the bridge came three IT men to whom they handed over the baton.
During the three-hour blockade, three performances were held, and the rally ended with a 16-minute silence for the 16 victims of the fall of the railway station canopy in Novi Sad.
A call to other professions to rebel
Educators called on other professions to revolt.
Dijana Kostić, who belongs to the IT community, told N1 during the protest on Brankovo Most that it is time for all professions to join the fight to fulfill student demands, not just educators and the IT community. She also assessed that the pressure that the state exerts on educators by not paying their salaries is shameful.
"We believe that not only IT, but every profession and every community must be together and in solidarity in this fight. We were the first to step forward somewhere, but our call is for everyone to join because this all depends on each individual, each profession, each community. We must all be together in this fight, and we are just one of many," Kostić told N1.
She emphasized that this must not be only a struggle between education and students.
"On the contrary, every social group must participate, every individual must step out of their comfort zone and we must all be together and show unity and solidarity in this fight. Otherwise, this fight cannot be representative. We must all show up," said Kostić.
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