Ćaci u školu

"Ćaci u školu" (Serbian Cyrillic: Ћаци у школу) was a piece of graffiti that appeared on January 22, 2025, at the entrance to the Jovan Jovanović Zmaj Gymnasium in Novi Sad, Serbia. Written in red paint, the graffiti gained viral attention on social media due to a prominent spelling mistake—using the letter ћ (ć) instead of ђ (đ) in the word "đaci" (students). The resulting nonsensical phrase "ćaci u školu" ("ćaci to school") was initially met with widespread humor and ridicule directed at the author's perceived illiteracy.

The phenomenon quickly evolved from an online joke into a potent political symbol during the 2024–present Serbian anti-corruption protests. The term ćaci was adopted by anti-government protesters as a satirical and derogatory label for supporters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, particularly those participating in state-sponsored counter-protests. Its most notable application was the naming of the "Ćaciland" in Belgrade. The term's journey from a simple misspelling to a complex political metaphor has been cited by analysts as an example of protest culture's power to reclaim and repurpose symbols in contemporary Serbia.