Tens of thousands gather in anti-government protest in Belgrade

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of people gathered in central Belgrade on Sunday to protest against President Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), whom they blame for a railway station roof collapse last month that killed 15 people.

The concrete awning of the recently renovated roof of Novi Sad station caved in on Nov. 1, killing 14 and injuring three. One of the injured died later.

Opposition leaders and the public have taken to the streets repeatedly, blaming the accident on shoddy construction resulting from government corruption and nepotism.

The ruling coalition denies those charges, and Vucic has said those responsible must be held to account.

The protesters on Sunday evening switched on the lights of their mobile phones and stood in silence for 15 minutes to commemorate the victims.

Some shouted "Vucic, thief!". Others held up banners reading "You have blood on your hands".

"We came here to say 'Stop' to everything that has been happening since 2012 [when Vucic's party took power]," said Aleksa, 30, an IT expert from Novi Sad.

"We want to see an end to corruption and nepotism."

Students at state universities in Belgrade, Kragujevac and Nis have been protesting for weeks to demand the release of all documents relevant to the renovation of the station, as well as criminal prosecution of officials responsible for the disaster.

Every day they block traffic in front of their faculties for 15 minutes to commemorate the 15 victims.

(Reporting by Ivana Sekularac; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

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