Czech Republic marking Day of Fight for Freedom and Democracy

The Czech Republic is marking the anniversaries of the events of November 17th, 1939 and 1989. Seventeen years ago, the Velvet Revolution started in Prague which led to the collapse of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia in 1989. The events were kicked off by a student march on November 17th, 1989 commemorating the student march of 1939 protesting against the Nazi occupation and the death of medical student Jan Opletal who was killed by the Nazis.

President Vaclav Klaus and Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek laid flowers on Friday at the memorial to the 1989 student demonstration on Prague's Narodni street. Outgoing Foreign Minister Alexandr Vondra, who took part in the march 17 years ago, also laid flowers at the plaque and joined a crowd of people bringing flowers and lighting candles there to discuss about the events of 1989.