Chairs, Flags and an Election Night

The National Assembly building on the morning of 25 October 2026, at the beginning of election day. A few hours later, the area in front of the building would become one of the main gathering places for citizens celebrating the election results.

The morning of 25 October 2026 near the University of Belgrade Rectorate, shortly after polling stations opened. A banner referring to the blockade remains displayed on the building, while the area near the Faculty of Philosophy and the Faculty of Philology is almost empty.

Citizens waiting to vote on Ustanička Street in Dušanovac on the morning of 25 October 2026. While political attention was focused on central Belgrade, election day in the city's neighbourhoods began with queues outside polling stations.

Police establish barriers at the entrance to Kralja Milana Street on the morning of 25 October 2026. Metal barriers, patrol vehicles and police officers mark increased security measures in central Belgrade as citizens across the city head to polling stations.

A police van on Kralja Milana Street, near the Republic Electoral Commission, on the morning of 25 October 2026. Police presence is increasing in central Belgrade while voting continues at polling stations across the city.

A police cordon blocks access to Kralja Milana Street near the Republic Electoral Commission on the evening of 25 October 2026. Officers with shields stand behind metal barriers as journalists report from the other side. The photograph captures the atmosphere in central Belgrade on election night, before the streets filled with people celebrating the results.

Increased police presence near the Republic Electoral Commission on the evening of 25 October 2026. Officers in protective gear are positioned behind metal barriers and along a building on Kralja Milana Street. The road is almost empty, with access to this part of central Belgrade restricted.

Three police officers in protective gear near the Republic Electoral Commission on 25 October 2026. Illuminated shop windows and passers-by are visible behind them, while the police presence remains prominent in central Belgrade during election night.

Police officers with protective shields behind metal barriers on Kralja Milana Street, shortly before polling stations closed on 25 October 2026. As a cameraman records the police cordon, access to part of central Belgrade near the Republic Electoral Commission remains restricted.

Police officers in protective gear are positioned beside a building in central Belgrade on the evening of 25 October 2026. While part of the unit stands along the façade, one officer holds his helmet in the foreground. The photograph documents the increased police presence on election night, when parts of the city centre were under police security.

Polling station number 9 in Belgrade's Stari grad municipality during the afternoon of 25 October 2026. Through the glass doors, the interior of the polling station and several people are visible. While police presence was increasing in central Belgrade, voting continued at polling stations across the city.

Citizens outside a polling station in Belgrade's Stari grad municipality on the afternoon of 25 October 2026. People gather on the steps and near the entrance as voting continues. The photograph captures the ordinary side of election day, before the celebrations that would later fill Belgrade's streets.

The National Assembly building at dusk on 25 October 2026, while voting was still underway. The façade is illuminated, and the area in front of the building remains relatively quiet. A few hours later, the same space would become one of the main gathering points for citizens celebrating the election results.

Police continue to secure part of Kralja Milana Street near the Republic Electoral Commission shortly before voting ends on 25 October 2026. Metal barriers restrict access as officers in protective gear stand beside an almost empty road. Just a few metres away, pedestrians pass illuminated shops in a city awaiting the first election results.

A television crew prepares to report from Kralja Milana Street, near police barriers, shortly before polling stations close on 25 October 2026. A reporter stands in front of the camera while the cameraman frames the shot and another crew member checks his phone. The photograph documents journalists working on the ground during election night, as public attention increasingly turns to the voting results.

Journalists report from Kralja Milana Street, near the Republic Electoral Commission, on the evening of 25 October 2026. As an N1 television reporter speaks to the camera, police officers with protective shields continue to secure the blocked section of the street behind him. The photograph captures an election night unfolding simultaneously in front of television cameras, behind police barriers and on the streets of a city awaiting the voting results.

A group of men dressed in dark clothing moves from the direction of Zeleni venac, through the Terazije underpass, towards Pionirski Park on the evening of 25 October 2026. We followed their movements firsthand, at a time of growing concern over groups of violent enforcers around Ćacilend. The photograph documents the group's arrival, but does not establish individual responsibility for violence.

A group of men in dark clothing moves towards the Terazije underpass shortly after voting ended on 25 October 2026. According to the firsthand account of Avangarda's reporting team, they were part of a group of violent enforcers heading towards Ćacilend in Pionirski Park. The photograph documents their movement through central Belgrade as citizens awaited the election results, but does not, on its own, establish the individuals' responsibility for acts of violence.

Groups of men move along the roadway at Terazije after voting ended on 25 October 2026. According to Avangarda's firsthand reporting, they were part of a group of violent enforcers who moved through central Belgrade before returning towards Ćacilend in Pionirski Park. The photograph documents their movements as citizens awaited the announcement of election results, but does not by itself establish individual responsibility for violence.

A man whom Avangarda's reporting team identified on the ground as one of the violent enforcers moves away after noticing that he is being photographed, shortly after voting ended on 25 October 2026. According to the team's firsthand account, he quickened his pace and left the area when they spotted him and raised their camera. Taken in motion, the photograph is blurred, but documents the reporting team's encounter with a man they were observing during a tense election night in Belgrade.

A traffic police car in central Belgrade on the evening of 25 October 2026. According to Avangarda's on-the-ground documentation, the photograph was taken during the withdrawal of police forces following the announcement of the Students' List's victory. After a day marked by police cordons, metal barriers and increased police presence, the situation on the streets began to change. The photograph captures one moment of that withdrawal.

A group of men identified by Avangarda's reporting team as violent enforcers moves through Terazije, from the direction of Ćacilend towards Knez Mihailova Street, shortly after the Students' List victory was announced on 25 October 2026. According to the team's firsthand account, the group was withdrawing from Pionirski Park. Some of the men have their faces covered as they pass illuminated shop windows in central Belgrade. The photograph documents their movement as the atmosphere in the city changed following the announcement of the election results.

A group of men whom Avangarda's reporting team identified, based on firsthand observations, as members of violent groups retreats through Terazije following the announcement of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. According to the team's account, the men were moving away from the direction of Ćacilend, crossing a road in central Belgrade. The photograph documents their movement as citizens began taking to the streets to celebrate the election results.

First reactions at Terazije following the announcement of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. One man raises his fist and records with his phone as others gather around him. Above them, an advertisement reads “Domestic coffee for all victories in Serbia and around the world”, an incidental backdrop to election night. After hours of waiting and police blockades, celebrations begin in central Belgrade.

Citizens in Terazije shortly after the announcement of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. Outside Apoteka Beograd, people walk, talk and gradually gather, while a woman in a high-visibility vest speaks on her phone. After hours of police blockades and anticipation of the results, central Belgrade begins to fill with people coming into the streets. The photograph captures one of those early, still relatively quiet moments of election night.

The first moments of celebration at Terazije following the announcement of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. A young woman on the pavement and a person on a scooter raise two fingers in a victory sign as citizens gather in central Belgrade. After a day marked by police blockades, uncertainty and anticipation of the results, smiles, mobile phones and spontaneous greetings appear on the streets. The photograph captures a moment when election night begins to turn into a public celebration.

A young woman with a flag draped over her shoulders arrives at Terazije following the announcement of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. As citizens gradually gather in central Belgrade, she walks into the street smiling, while ordinary city life continues behind her. After a day of waiting for results and police blockades, the photograph captures a simple, spontaneous moment of election night: people arriving to celebrate the victory together.

Citizens celebrate near the National Assembly building following the announcement of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. A man stands on an elevated surface and raises his fist while people gathered among the cars record the moment on their phones. Thick white smoke spreads in the background. After a day marked by police blockades and anticipation of the results, the streets of central Belgrade become a place of celebration. The photograph captures the moment an announced election victory turns into a public celebration.

Celebrations at a junction in central Belgrade, near the National Assembly, following the announcement of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. A Serbian flag is spread across a black car, while a young man wearing a backpack records the crowd from an elevated position. People around him applaud, raise their hands and capture the moment on their phones. A road normally used by city traffic has become a place of spontaneous celebration.

Citizens celebrate the Students' List victory near the National Assembly in Belgrade on 25 October 2026. A young man draped in a Serbian flag raises his arm as people around him smile, cheer and record the celebrations on their phones. Following the announcement of the election results, Belgrade's streets filled with people who had come to celebrate together. The photograph captures the joy at close range, focusing on individual faces rather than the wider crowd.

Journalists and media crews among citizens gathered near the National Assembly following the announcement of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. People in high-visibility vests stand in the foreground, while the crowd moves through smoke and bright streetlights behind them. Just hours earlier, journalists had been reporting from outside police cordons. Now they are documenting celebrations on the same streets. The photograph captures the changing atmosphere in central Belgrade over the course of a single election night.

Citizens carrying flags celebrate near the National Assembly following the announcement of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. Thick smoke illuminated by reddish light rises above the crowd, with the illuminated façades of central Belgrade visible behind them. The street is filled with people, capturing a moment when election night had already turned into a mass celebration.

A Serbian tricolour flag featuring the three-finger salute is raised among citizens in front of the National Assembly during celebrations of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. Two men hold the flag while a woman in the foreground records the scene on her phone. Smoke spreads behind them, and the illuminated Assembly building dominates the right side of the frame. The photograph captures a moment when national symbols became part of the street celebrations following the announcement of the election results.

Fireworks illuminate the sky above citizens gathered near the National Assembly during celebrations of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. Red and golden bursts light up the night, while silhouettes of people watching the celebrations are visible beneath the trees. Just hours earlier, this part of central Belgrade had been under heightened police security. The photograph captures a moment when celebrations took over a space previously marked by police cordons and metal barriers.

A trolleybus on route 3A, displaying “GARAŽA” (depot), passes through central Belgrade during celebrations of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. People around the vehicle applaud, greet the driver and record the moment on their phones, while he smiles from his cabin. A blue balloon shaped like the number three is visible beside the front of the trolleybus. On a night when the streets became a place of celebration, even an ordinary journey back to the depot became part of the event.

A young woman draped in a Serbian flag rides a motorcycle behind a 3A trolleybus returning to the depot during celebrations of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. Citizens watch the vehicles pass from both sides of the street, with some applauding. After a day of police blockades and uncertainty, the celebrations spread into everyday city traffic. The photograph captures a moment when familiar scenes of Belgrade's streets mixed with flags, smiles and spontaneous greetings.

A young woman draped in a Serbian flag stands among citizens celebrating the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. As she turns towards the photographer with her phone in hand, a television cameraman beside her films the crowd, while a firework crosses the sky above. Raised fists, phone lights and flags become part of the same scene. The photograph captures the immediate atmosphere of election night in Belgrade, as citizens celebrated and documented the events unfolding around them.

Celebrations of the Students' List victory on the streets of Belgrade, 25 October 2026. A man raises both arms from a car while women nearby record the moment on their phones. Cars are stopped alongside one another, with illuminated city buildings in the background. Following the announcement of the election results, celebrations were not limited to the crowds outside the National Assembly. They spread onto the roads, where people greeted one another through car windows.

A citizen draped in a Serbian flag walks along Kralja Milana Street towards Slavija during celebrations of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. Around him, people talk, record with their phones and raise their hands beneath a red traffic light. Just hours earlier, parts of the same street had been blocked by police cordons. Now it is filled with people celebrating the election results, turning one of Belgrade's main streets into a shared space of celebration.

Citizens in Pionirski Park on the night of 25 October 2026, after people entered an area previously occupied by the tent encampment known as “Ćacilend”. Several people stand among the trees, with illuminated city buildings visible in the background. Following police cordons, the announcement of election results and celebrations in the streets, the photograph captures a quieter moment as citizens return to a public space that had been at the centre of political disputes over its use for months.

A citizen pulls the side covering of a tent in Pionirski Park on the night of 25 October 2026, after people entered the area known as “Ćacilend”. Empty tables and benches are visible inside the tent, while those present watch and record the removal of its structure. The photograph documents one of the moments in the dismantling of a tent encampment that had occupied part of a public space in central Belgrade for months. For the gathered citizens, removing the tents also symbolised the return of Pionirski Park to public use.

The dismantling of the tent encampment known as “Ćacilend” in Pionirski Park on the night of 25 October 2026. The side covering of a large tent has partially collapsed, with overturned chairs and other equipment scattered around it. Citizens walk through an area previously occupied by tents for months. The photograph documents a moment when both the appearance of the park and public access to this part of central Belgrade were changing.

Two young men sit on white chairs and watch the dismantling of a tent in Pionirski Park on the night of 25 October 2026. A few metres in front of them, citizens pull at the covering of a large tent in the area known as “Ćacilend”. While people move around the structure and shadows shift across the canvas, the two observers remain seated. The photograph captures an unusual contrast between an ordinary scene of two people sitting on chairs and an event that, for those gathered, symbolised the end of months of occupation of part of a public space.

Three young men celebrate the entry of citizens into Pionirski Park on the night of 25 October 2026. Two stand with their arms around each other on a stone structure, filming themselves and making a victory sign, while a third raises his arm towards the crowd from a lower position. Following the removal of tents from the area known as “Ćacilend”, the park became one of the places where people gathered to celebrate. The photograph captures a moment of joy in a space that had been at the centre of political disputes for months.

An N1 television reporter speaks with a citizen in Pionirski Park on the night of 25 October 2026, after people entered the area known as “Ćacilend”. Under a bright light, the reporter holds his microphone towards the interviewee while people behind them follow the events and use their phones. Just hours earlier, news crews had been reporting from outside police cordons in central Belgrade. Now their coverage had moved into the park, where tents that had occupied part of the public space for months were being dismantled.

A group of young people pose for a photograph in Pionirski Park on the night of 25 October 2026, after citizens entered the area known as “Ćacilend”. They hold a banner bearing the slogan “Vučić, Serbia's Pride”, with its reverse side facing the camera, while making victory signs and raising their fists. A partially collapsed white tent lies behind them. The photograph captures a moment when political promotional material became part of the celebrations of those who opposed the government it promoted.

A hooded man strikes a political propaganda banner featuring Aleksandar Vučić, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping with a baton in Pionirski Park on the night of 25 October 2026. Beneath the portraits, a slogan declares Serbs, Russians and Chinese to be brothers through good and bad times, while dark liquid marks are visible across the images. According to Avangarda's firsthand reporting, the scene took place after citizens entered the area known as “Ćacilend”, amid protests against the government and the dismantling of tents. The photograph documents an open expression of political anger directed at symbols of power and its international alliances.

A discarded political banner featuring Aleksandar Vučić and Serbia's coat of arms lies on the ground among metal barriers in Pionirski Park on the night of 25 October 2026. People on the other side of the barriers photograph and film the scene, with the illuminated National Assembly building visible in the background. According to Avangarda's reporting team, the banner was discarded after citizens entered the area known as “Ćacilend”, during protests and the dismantling of the tent encampment. The photograph captures a moment when political promotional material, once displayed in a public space, ended up on the ground amid expressions of public discontent.

A citizen sits on a white chair from the tent encampment known as “Ćacilend” in Pionirski Park on the night of 25 October 2026. With his legs crossed and phone in hand, he watches the events as people walk around him. Following the citizens' entry into the park and the dismantling of the tents, objects that had been part of a politically contested space for months took on a different meaning. The photograph captures an almost ordinary scene in a place whose public use had long been disputed.

Two young men carry yellow sections of a bench from the tent encampment known as “Ćacilend” on the night of 25 October 2026. One smiles and makes a victory sign as they walk through central Belgrade. According to Avangarda's reporting team, the bench was taken out of Pionirski Park following the citizens' entry into the area and the dismantling of tents. The photograph captures an unusual scene from election night, when objects from the politically contested encampment appeared on the city's streets.

A young man carries a white chair from the tent encampment known as “Ćacilend” on the night of 25 October 2026, following the announcement of the Students' List victory. According to Avangarda's documentation, the chair was taken from Pionirski Park, where citizens had been dismantling tents and removing equipment. Other people walk behind him along the illuminated street. Unlike the large political banners and flags, this ordinary white chair became one of the more unusual symbols of election night, an object some citizens took away as a souvenir of the events they had witnessed.

A citizen carrying a white chair from the tent encampment known as “Ćacilend” raises three fingers in front of the National Assembly on the night of 25 October 2026. With his back to the camera, he stands in Pionirski Park, the illuminated parliament building visible behind him. According to Avangarda's on-the-ground documentation, the chair was taken from the area where citizens had been dismantling tents. The photograph captures one of the most striking scenes of election night: an ordinary white chair, a raised hand and the institution in the background, following a day marked by police blockades, political tensions and celebrations of the Students' List victory.

A red truck with the word “ПОБЕДА” (Victory) and the number 3 painted on its rear passes through a crowd near Slavija during celebrations of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. People raise their phones to record its passage, while purple-lit smoke spreads above the street. After a day marked by voting, police blockades and uncertainty, central Belgrade has become a place of mass celebration. The photograph captures a moment when the message of victory painted on a truck became part of the public celebration.

A red truck bearing the word “ПОБЕДА” (Victory) and several number 3 symbols on its front moves towards Slavija during celebrations of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. Citizens stand on both sides of the street, raising their phones to photograph and film its passage, while the truck's headlights illuminate the road. The number 3, associated with the Students' List during the election campaign, became one of the recognisable symbols of the evening. The photograph captures a moment when election celebrations spread onto the roads, with a truck carrying a message of victory passing through the crowd.

A metallic blue balloon shaped like the number 3 rises above the crowd at Slavija during celebrations of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. The number associated with the Students' List during the election campaign now appears above the gathering, surrounded by lights, smoke and celebrating citizens. The photograph captures a moment when an electoral symbol becomes part of the street celebrations, as people fill the area around Slavija to celebrate the voting results.

A large Serbian flag waves above the crowd gathered at Slavija during celebrations of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. People fill the square beneath the flag, while red light and smoke illuminate one side of the street. In the background, several people stand on an elevated structure overlooking the gathering. The photograph captures a moment when Slavija became one of the main centres of nighttime celebrations, after a day marked by police blockades, uncertainty and anticipation of the election results.

A flag featuring an outline of Kosovo, Serbia's coat of arms and the slogan “Nema predaje” (No Surrender) waves above the crowd at Slavija during celebrations of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. Reddish light illuminates the flag and surrounding buildings, with a large advertising screen behind it. Alongside electoral symbols and celebrations, the photograph documents the presence of political messages concerning Kosovo. It captures how different political symbols, identities and social questions intersected during a single election night.

Citizens gather around the Slavija fountain during celebrations of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. Two young men stand on an elevated spot above the crowd, while a large Serbian tricolour waves to the left. Behind them, the fountain's purple-lit water jets dominate the night scene. After a day marked by voting, police blockades and uncertainty, Slavija became one of the main gathering places. The photograph captures a moment when an ordinary urban space turned into a place of collective celebration.

A young man in a yellow jacket and an oversized green crocodile hat sits on a scooter during nighttime celebrations following the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. Behind him, cars wait with their headlights on as pedestrians cross the street. After scenes of police cordons, political banners and mass gatherings, this photograph captures a different side of election night. Amid serious political events, there was also room for humour, unusual costumes and moments nobody had planned.

A young man holds a Serbian flag spread wide near Slavija, on the road towards Karađorđev Park, during celebrations of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. He stands in front of a metal fence, with the national coat of arms at the centre of the flag and an illuminated building behind him. After scenes of mass celebrations, fireworks and crowded streets, the photograph captures a simpler moment of election night. One person, one flag and an urban space that became a setting for political celebration that evening.

A group of citizens walks along tram tracks near Karađorđev Park during celebrations of the Students' List victory on 25 October 2026. One man is draped in a Serbian flag, while another walks with his arms spread wide towards thick smoke illuminated by red light. Just a few metres away, cars wait in a long queue. The photograph captures a moment when celebrations, city traffic and everyday life shared the same street, as people across central Belgrade celebrated the election results.

A group of young men celebrates the Students' List victory near Franše d’Eperea Street in Belgrade on the night of 25 October 2026. Several have climbed onto a grey car, while others lean against the vehicle, talk and greet one another. A red car is parked to the left, and a Serbian flag is partially visible among the trees and streetlights in the background. The photograph captures a spontaneous moment of celebration on Belgrade's streets, away from political speeches and organised gatherings.

Citizens gather in Pionirski Park on 26 October 2026, the day after the Students' List election victory and the public's entry into the area known as “Ćacilend”. Sound equipment has been set up among the gathering, while the National Assembly building is visible behind the autumn trees. According to Avangarda's field documentation, the gathering was part of activities to clean and return the park to public use. After a night marked by the removal of tents, political banners and celebrations, the photograph captures a different scene: citizens gathering once again in public space, this time in daylight.

Citizens gather in Pionirski Park on 26 October 2026, the day after the announcement of the Students' List victory and the nighttime events surrounding the removal of tents from the area known as “Ćacilend”. A man standing on an elevated spot raises both arms while people around him make victory signs, take photographs and follow the gathering. Loudspeakers and other equipment have been set up among the autumn trees. According to Avangarda's field documentation, the gathering took place alongside activities to clean the park and return it to public use. The photograph captures celebrations continuing in daylight, in a space that had been the subject of political disputes for months.

Workers clear fallen leaves in Pionirski Park on 26 October 2026, the day after the Students' List election victory and the events surrounding the removal of the tent encampment known as “Ćacilend”. Wearing green uniforms, two workers use powered leaf blowers while a third clears the area around the trees. After a night of political tensions, tent removals and celebrations, the photograph documents a return to the everyday work of maintaining the park. A space that had been at the centre of political disputes for months is also once again a place of ordinary city life.

Citizens take part in gardening and flower-planting activities in Pionirski Park on 26 October 2026, the day after the Students' List election victory and the removal of tents from the area known as “Ćacilend”. Three people work on the soil beside a park path, while other cleaning and maintenance activities continue in the background. Following months of political disputes over the park's use, the photograph documents an effort to restore the public space to everyday use. This time, the focus is not on political symbols, but on soil, gardening gloves and people tending a space that belongs to everyone.

A child swings in Pionirski Park on 26 October 2026, the day after the Students' List election victory and the entry of citizens into the area known as “Ćacilend”. One swing remains empty, while a child occupies the other and people walk, talk and spend time in the park behind it. After a night marked by police cordons, political tensions, tent removals and celebrations, the photograph captures an ordinary scene. That is precisely its significance. Public space is not only a setting for political conflict and gatherings, but also a place for everyday life, including children's right to play.