BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Thousands joined protest marches in several Serbian towns on Wednesday reflecting persistent resistance to autocratic President Aleksandar Vucic’s rule despite a government crackdown.

Crowds gathered to mark 11 months since a concrete canopy collapsed in a northern Serbian city that killed 16 people and triggered a major anti-government movement.

Protesters believe that the crash at the renovated train station in Novi Sad resulted from graft-fueled negligence in construction projects. The building’s renovation was part of a wider railway overhaul with Chinese companies.

Holding up lights on their phones, the protesters in Belgrade walked in silence to honor the victims who included children. Huge crowds also gathered in Novi Sad, braving heavy rain falling in the

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