Student protests of 1939 commemorated at Prague’s Albertov

Dozens of people, including students and representatives of universities, commemorated the student protests of November 1939 and 1989 at Prague's Albertov.

It was here that a peaceful march began 34 years ago on November 17, 1989, which was to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Jan Opletal, the Czech student killed by the Nazis in 1939.

The march, which was brutally suppressed by police when it reached the Národní Street in the city centre, marked the beginning of the Velvet Revolution.

The commemorative event saw speeches by members of the academic community, including Charles University Rector Milena Králíčková, who all highlighted the fact that freedom and democracy are not a given.