Traffic blockades held throughout Serbia against populist government over roof collapse tragedy

abcnews.go.com:

Residents throughout Serbia have stopped in silence for 15 minutes as part of persistent protests against the populist leadership following the collapse last month of a concrete canopy in the country’s north that killed 15 people

BELGRADE, Serbia — Residents throughout Serbia stopped in silence for 15 minutes on Friday as part of persistent anti-government protests following the collapse last month of a concrete canopy in the country's north that killed 15 people.

Traffic blockades have taken place each Friday since Nov. 1 at 11:52 a.m., the exact time when the canopy at the railway station building in Novi Sad crashed down on people who were sitting or strolling below on a sunny day.

Initially, 14 people were killed and three were injured, but one more person later died while hospitalized. The two injured remain hospitalized weeks later.

The station building was renovated twice in recent years. Many in Serbia believe rampant corruption led to sloppy work on the building reconstruction, which was part of a wider railroad project with Chinese state companies.

The collapse also has become a flashpoint for broader dissatisfaction with the growingly autocratic rule of populist President Aleksandar Vučić, reflecting public demands for democratic changes.

Thousands of people, led by university students, on Wednesday evening held a noisy rally outside the state RTS television building over the station's pro-government editorial policies.

RTS has broadcast Vučić's accusations that students were paid from the West and elsewhere to hold protests to overthrow his government.

Friday's traffic blockades took place at dozens of locations throughout the country. Some participants held up their hands in red-painted rubber gloves,