A sea of people flowed along the roads leading up to Novi Sad railway station.
They came in their tens of thousands to remember the 16 people who died there this time last year, on another unseasonably warm and sunny autumn day.
The victims were standing or sitting underneath a concrete canopy at the recently-renovated facility, when it collapsed. The two youngest were just six years old, the oldest, 77.
Regular protests have rocked Serbia in the 12 months that have followed. But on Saturday morning, the huge crowd participated in an event that put the emphasis on quiet commemoration.
At 11:52 (10:52 GMT), the time of the disaster, they observed a silence for 16 minutes - one for each of the victims. Family members cried. One woman needed to be physically supported by men wearing the red berets of armed forces veterans.
After the silence, relatives laid flowers at the front of the station.
The rubble of the collapsed canopy has been cleared away, but otherwise the building appears to have remained untouched since the disaster.
Twisted metal protruding from the walls and broken glass still offer evidence of the catastrophe.
Novi Sad station was supposed to be a symbol of Serbia's progress, under President Aleksandar Vučić's Progressive Party. The country's second city would be key on the high-speed railway line between Belgrade and Budapest.
Vučić and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban opened the renovated facility in 2022, but now after another renovation and the disaster, it stands as a prime example of the country's issues.
This led citizens to demand accountability, protesting with placards reading corruption kills.
University students are at the forefront of these protests, calling for fresh elections and to rid Serbian institutions of cronyism and corruption related to the disaster.
In September, several individuals, including former Transport Minister Goran Vesić, faced charges over the collapse, while the government denies accusations of corruption.
Though anti-government demonstrations are frequent, the persistence and trust in the student-led movement shows a shift in the political landscape, as they focus not on traditional opposition, but on expert candidates for governing the country.
On the eve of the commemoration, President Vučić softened his tone, apologizing for previous remarks towards protesters while they insist he has blood on his hands.
This anniversary was a day of respect and remembrance, but the anger and demand for justice continues to resonate among the crowd.
