People from across Serbia gathered in Novi Sad on Saturday to observe the first year anniversary of the tragic collapse of a railway station roof that killed 16 people.

Tens of thousands of Serbians gathered in silence in downtown Novi Sad at 11:52 a.m. (1052 GMT), at the exact moment the roof collapsed last year. They held 16 minutes of silence for the collapse's 16 victims.

The incident has sparked the largest protest movement in Serbia's modern history, as the student-led protests blame the collapse on state corruption.

Protesters have called for those responsible to be held accountable and early elections that they hope would see President Aleksandar Vucic gone.

While several officials have been indicted on charges of endangering public safety and the prime minister has resigned amid the protest, no court has confirmed the indictment, with Vucic defiantly still in power.

What do we know about the Novi Sad anniversary protests?

Serbians have been congregating from different corners of the country ahead of the anniversary, some in marches that have symbolically lasted for 16 days. Protesters were met with cheers by the residents of Novi Sad, Serbia's second-largest city, on Friday evening.

On Friday, authorities canceled train services to Novi Sad, saying there was a bomb threat. Protesters defied authorities, making their way in cars, on bicycles and some even on foot.

"This is a major tragedy for the Serbian people. We cannot bring those people back but we can feel the pain with their families and say that this is enough," Sladjana Burmaz, a 51-year-old economist from the central town of Valjevo told the Reuters news agency.

Protesters held carved out hearts with the names of the victims.

Dijana Hrka, the mother of one of the victims, laid flowers under her son's name on a fence outside the station. She announced her intention to launch a hunger strike in Belgrade on Sunday.

The mother stressed she "must know who killed my child. Someone must be held accountable for this," according to the Associated Press news agency.

President Vuvic issues rare apology

The yearlong protests have been met with force from the authorities, often breaking up protests using batons and tear gas and rounding up protesters. Vucic has accused the protesters of being foreign agents trying to topple the ruling authorities.

However, on Friday, he issued a rare apology in a televised address.

 "I have said some things that I am now sorry for saying," Vucic said, calling for dialogue. "All that hatred boiling in our society cannot bring any good. It can only lead to further destruction."

Authorities hastily declared Saturday a day of mourning, and Vucic attended a commemoration ceremony in the capital, Belgrade.

Some protesters have rejected the president's apology, stressing that their calls for early elections still stand.

European Union Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos posted on X that the "tragedy is changing Serbia".

"It moved masses to stand for accountability, free expression and inclusive democracy," she wrote. "They are the same values to lead Serbia into the EU."

Serbia has been on a long and unfruitful journey to join the 27-member bloc, with Vucic's close ties to Russia and China and his authoritarian tactics among the most glaring roadblocks.

Edited by: Sean Sinico