The Year of Velvet Revolutions? Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Amsterdam, the Czech Republic, France, Moldova, and Germany.
For when people renounce lies, lies simply cease to exist. Like parasites, they can only survive when attached to a person
The Velvet Revolution in the Czech Republic was organized over a period of decades. What began as one massive demonstration soon expanded to include strikes and other acts of disobedience. The revolution was non-violent and led to the end of the one-party communist system in the Czech Republic.
The full BBC article in PDF form:
The Velvet Revolution used non-violent civil disobedience, mass protests, and economic strikes to convince the resignation of the regime without mass violence:
The PDF of a summary of the strategies used in the Velvet Revolution is available via the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict:
Photos of the 1989 Velvet Revolution:
From Time Magazine:
“On Nov. 17, 1989, student protesters filled the streets of Prague. It was eight days after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the same tide of freedom that had swept Berlin seemed to have come to the Czech capital. Police tried to beat back the demonstrators, hoping to tamp down the demand for freedom, but the people seemed to have grown immune to the brutality of the regime; the show of force only galvanized the resistance.
The students were joined in the coming days by Czechoslovak citizens of all ages. By Nov. 20, a half-million Czechs and Slovaks filled Prague’s streets and took over Wenceslas Square. The Communists were forced out. By the end of 1989, Czechoslovakia was on its way to having an elected President for the first time since 1948.”
Anti-Government Protests Sweep Through Europe
Protests in the Czech Republic
On September 3, 2022, massive demonstrations took place in Prague. Multiple media outlets, including The Guardian and The New Voice of Ukraine, around 70,000 attended the anti-government protests in Prague. Concerns of protesters included energy policies and were attended by both far-left and far-left (Communists) groups. The diverse groups were united behind a “Czech first” platform:
New Voices of Ukraine writes that:
“According to police estimates, the number of protesters counted about 70,000 people, and the rally was peaceful.
The slogan of the event was "Czech Republic in the first place.
Demonstrators held Czech flags, as well as placards against the EU and NATO, Prime Minister Petr Fiala, rising energy prices, and calls for neutrality and dialogue with Russia. Anti-vaccination slogans were also heard during the protest.
The event was organized by several political parties and organizations, including the Communist Party of the Czech Republic and the Eurosceptic Tricolor Citizens’ Movement.
Protesters were demanding the resignation of the current coalition government of conservative Prime Minister Petr Fiala, whom they criticize for following pro-Western policies and allegedly paying more attention to war-torn Ukraine than to his citizens.
At the same time, the organizers of the rally wanted the government to allow their experts to negotiate with Russia regarding the purchase of gas and oil.
“The purpose of our demonstration is to demand change, mainly in solving the issue of energy prices, especially electricity and gas, which will destroy our economy this fall," event co-organizer Jiří Havel told news website iDNES.cz.
"The Czech Republic needs a Czech government. Fiala's government may be Ukrainian, maybe Brussels, but not Czech," said the head of Tricolor party, Zuzana Majerová Zahradníková.”
Videos of the protests:
Pictures from the protest:
France
Anti-government protests also occurred in France on September 3rd, where energy prices and inflation are causing economic destruction:
Protesters had French flags with Orthodox crosses:
Moldova
Anti-government protests occurred in Moldova, which focused on the rising cost of energy (which is a side-effect of the West’s sanctions on Russia):
Protesters held a candle vigil, much like Czech protesters did during the Velvet Revolution:
Amsterdam, Netherlands
In Amsterdam, citizens entered the Dam Square and marched against permanent COVID restriction laws and in support of Dutch farmers:
The Dutch Romeo police unit allegedly detained a protester:
Germany
On September 3rd, a convoy of farmers, truckers, and bikers assembled in Brettorf, Germany to protest energy policies. Some participants had Dutch flags to show solidarity with the Dutch farmer’s protests:
And on September 4th, Germans in Cologne protested the governments energy policies, which include sanctions on Russian gas:
Protests against Agenda 2030, government energy policies, and the arming of Ukraine occurred throughout Germany on Sept. 6th:
Ghana
A massive crowd protested the rising cost of living in Ghana on September 4th:
Chile
Student protests broke out in Chile, which resulted in police assaulting and arrested demonstrators:
Indonesia
Massive protests broke out in Indonesia in response to the government’s plan to raise fuel prices by 30%:
