Velvet Revolution: a turbulent 25th birthday

The Velvet Revolution, which was so named because of its peaceful nature, ended almost 45 years of communism in Czechoslovakia. It was followed by a “divorce with Slovakia” (also referred to as “velvet”), which created the Czech Republic in 1993. This 25th anniversary was the occasion to pay tribute to the students who had taken the initiative to demonstrate against the government in power, and had suffered severe police repression. Apart from the intervention of the police, this feeling of indignation and protest was revived in the streets of Prague, where the posters “We do not want to be a Russian colony” or “Enough with Zeman” were numerous.

President Zeman, in office since March 2013, is a particularly controversial personality, with an open fondness for strong alcohols. He aroused anger among a part of the Czech population when he criticized the sanctions against Russia, describing the events in Ukraine as a “civil war” and calling Pussy Riot “whores” during a radio intervention at the beginning of November. Zeman also declared that the students’ revolution in 1989 was only one event among others that led to the revolution. This kind of commentary, added to a position that is considered too pro-Russian, has a strong impact on the young generation today. The number of people who came to demonstrate armed with a red card was estimated at between 5000 and 7000. The demonstrators waved their cards like soccer referees, as if to invite the President to leave as soon as possible. 

It was when he wanted to make his speech and unveil a plaque commemorating the students of 1989 that the situation worsened. The mob greeted him with whistles and egg throwing. His security squad used umbrellas to protect him while he addressed people. “I am not scared of you, just like I was not scared of you 25 years ago” he cried to the mob. German President Joachim Gauck, invited for the occasion along with the Slovakian, Polish and Hungarian Presidents, is said to have been hit by a piece of eggshell which, according to some testimonies, made him smile,. In this climate of rejection of the President by a part of the population, the day of commemoration passed by before another controversy emerged.

On the morning of November 17th, the citizens of Prague found the “Lennon Wall” covered with white paint and with this sole inscription in it’s centre. Repainted during the night by four art students, this wall has been a symbol of the town of Prague in the struggle against the communist system since the 1980s. The famous Beatles singer, John Lennon, a symbol of hope and freedom, was depicted on this wall where people came to write messages and song lyrics, or lay down candles as a sign of protest. After the regime collapsed, the wall turned into a tourist attraction and continually received new inscriptions, but still maintained a strong symbolism. Recently another “Lennon Wall” has appeared in Hong Kong, where students also protest peacefully. A message of support to these students has since appeared on the wall in Prague. 

Following the repainting of the wall, many people were shocked by what some called “vandalism”. Since then, the students have explained their action. One of them, Jan Dotřel, told in a message posted on Facebook that the inscription “The Wall is Over” is a reference to John Lennon’s song “Happy Xmas” (War Is Over). The idea of the project was to celebrate the 25 years that have passed since the Velvet Revolution and give a new momentum to the wall, by presenting a “blank page” where new generations can express themselves. Supported by their professors, they have reaffirmed the artistic value of the project. They also deny having committed any act of vandalism. Nevertheless, some judicial measures have been announced by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, which owns the wall. This project had a stronger impact because of the 25th birthday celebrations, but it was not the first time the wall has been repainted. Communist authorities frequently repainted it in the 1980s, and, in 2000, another group covered it with green paint. The wall has already recovered a lot of its colors and many inscriptions have reappeared since. One of the first was “The Wall Is Never Over”.