Serbia Marks Anniversary of Devastating School Shooting, Calls for Introspection

One year after Serbia's first-ever school shooting, hundreds gathered to commemorate the tragedy that claimed the lives of nine children and a school guard. The somber event featured a silent vigil, art installations, and calls for introspection in a nation grappling with a culture of violence.

On a rainy Friday, a somber queue of mourners formed outside the Vladislav Ribnikar Elementary School in Belgrade, Serbia, where a year ago, a 13-year-old boy allegedly opened fire on his schoolmates with his father's guns. The tragic event, which left nine children and a school guard dead and six others injured, stunned the nation.

The anniversary vigil, titled "Awakening," began at 8:41 a.m., the time of the shooting last year. Serbian television stations interrupted their broadcasts to display the text "We remember" on a black screen. Throughout the day, art installations, a panel discussion, and short films about the victims filled the area near the school.

Ninela Radicevic, who lost her 11-year-old daughter Ana Bozovic in the shooting, expressed her frustration with society's "rush to forget" the tragedy. "We have missed many chances to react better... (but) I think it is never too late to pause ... and to try not to make the same mistakes in the future," said psychology professor Aleksandar Baucal, who is part of the team behind the commemoration.

The victims' parents have tirelessly advocated for the closure of the school and its conversion into a memorial center. They have organized protests, remembrance events, and testified about their ordeal to raise awareness. In response to the shooting, Serbia's populist government launched a gun crackdown, collecting about 80,000 weapons and rounds of ammunition.

State-backed support teams offered counseling, and police officers were deployed outside schools for security. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said after paying respects Friday that the "unthinkable tragedy has left a permanent scar on the soul of our entire nation."

Suspects in both of the shootings were apprehended. The alleged school shooter's parents went on trial in January, charged with teaching their underage son to shoot and with not securing the weapons at the family home. The trial is continuing, and the boy has been held in an institution since the attack.

The trial of the other suspect and his father is set to start later this month in the central town of Smederevo. Shock and anger from the shootings sparked months of street protests demanding the resignations of top officials and a ban on media that spew hate speech and intolerance.

The anniversary of the school shooting has served as a reminder of the urgent need for introspection and a shift away from the culture of violence that has plagued Serbia. The event called for a collective pause to reflect on the past and work towards a future where such tragedies can be prevented.