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Slobodan Milosevic was ousted from power by the crowds, just as they had helped propel him to power 13 years earlier.
By the time Milosevic called elections in September 2000, the country was crippled by sanctions, and many Serbs were living in desperate poverty.
Montenegro - the only republic still with Serbia in Yugoslavia - was threatening to break away, and there was an atmosphere of fear and instability across the federation.
When Milosevic refused to recognise the election victory of opposition leader Vojislav Kostunica, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets, and a national strike was declared. One by one, key allies dropped their support, including the Serbian Orthodox church and parts of the state media.
Confidence grew, and 10 days after the election protesters stormed the parliament and the state TV station, setting both buildings on fire. Many policemen took off their helmets and joined the protesters. Milosevic's empire had crumbled.