Serbian students accuse regime of using toxic gas at Novi Sad protest

Students from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in Novi Sad have accused Serbian authorities of deploying chloroacetophenone (CN), a dangerous chemical, during a protest on 5 September.

The students, supported by independent laboratory analysis, are demanding a thorough investigation and accountability for those responsible for using this toxic riot control agent.

Chloroacetophenone, classified as a “toxic chemical” and “riot control agent” under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC, Article II), is banned for use in warfare due to its severe health risks. CN can cause corneal damage, respiratory issues, and is considered more toxic than modern alternatives like CS gas. First synthesized in Germany in 1871, CN was used militarily, notably by Japan during the 1930s occupation of Taiwan, but was largely phased out globally by the 1970s in favour of less harmful agents like CS gas.

“CN gas, due to its high toxicity and severe health effects, was entirely replaced by CS gas in the 1970s, which became the standard for crowd control in law enforcement and military practice,” the students stated. “Our message is clear: the use of CN gas is not crowd control – it is the poisoning of our citizens”.

“The students are calling for a criminal investigation into those who authorized the use of CN gas and urge both citizens and police to use filter masks, the only effective protection against CN and CS gases. They have offered to share collected samples with the Ministry of Internal Affairs for further analysis, challenging authorities to demonstrate transparency.

“We are not afraid of the truth and stand by our findings. Will you finally show courage, or will you continue to conceal what the public deserves to know?” they asked.

According to the students, police officers were observed collecting used chemical containers with flashlights after the protest, seemingly to destroy evidence. In response, the students systematically gathered containers and submitted them for independent analysis using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS), a globally recognized method. They reported finding several dozen unmarked containers, some with clear signs of tampered or removed labels, raising suspicions about the use of illegal or hazardous substances.

On the evening of 5 September police intervened forcefully against protesters on the University of Novi Sad campus. Witnesses reported both demonstrators and officers suffering severe effects, including vomiting, after exposure to the gas. Despite these claims, Belgrade authorities have denied using CN gas.

Serbs protest against police violence in response to Novi Sad clashes

“The Ministry of Interior categorically denies allegations that police in Novi Sad used CN gas. The police do not possess this substance and therefore could not have used it,” the Ministry stated.

The students’ findings and demands highlight a growing call for transparency and accountability, as tensions persist over the authorities’ handling of the protest and the use of chemical agents.

Serbian students are protesting against government corruption, demanding accountability for the deadly collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad that killed 16 people, as well as snap elections, transparency, and an end to authoritarian rule under President Aleksandar Vučić. These protests began in November 2024, shortly after the 1 November disaster, with widespread student-led actions starting on 22 November.

Paid counter-protests?

Vučić blames the West for organising a “colour revolution” and has responded with counter-protests.

The chairman of the Serbian Party of Freedom and Justice (PSJ), Dragan Djilas, said that participants in the counter-protests organized by the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SPP) received 50 euros for their presence.

“The money was distributed yesterday to Vucic’s rally participants in Vojdovac and Novi Sad, which is recorded. It is known that this happened in other places and that it has been like this at all Vučić’s rallies for years,” Djilas said. According to him, most of the attendees were there for the money.

“We are talking about tens of thousands of euros of black money that comes either from corruption deals with the state or from other types of crime, such as drug trafficking,” Djilas added.

Caption: Protesters clash with riot police during a demonstration against police brutality in Novi Sad, Serbia, 5 September 2025. The university students’ protests initially sparked by the Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse on 1 November 2024 have since grown into demands for early elections. EPA/ANDREJ CUKIC