A student-led strike in Serbia on Friday closed down numerous businesses and many people didn’t go to work as populist President Aleksandar Vucic planned a big rally to counter growing anti-government protests that have challenged his grip on power.

The blockades took place in various cities to commemorate the victims of the canopy collapse in Novi Sad last year.

Tens of thousands of protesters led by university students have held a noisy rally outside Serbia’s state television headquarters in Belgrade to protest what they called the broadcaster’s pro-government bias.

The student-led protests forced businesses throughout Serbia to shut their doors, including many schools as teachers' unions backed the call to strike. As well as Belgrade and Novi Sad, protest marches also took place in the southern city of Nis and smaller cities,