Matiční Street: the wall that divided society and caused international uproar
Twenty-five years ago, the name Matiční Street in Ústí nad Labem—a 100-meter-long path between family row houses and three apartment buildings where socially disadvantaged Romani people lived—went viral. The fence planned by the town hall was seen as a symbol of racism and the segregation of the Czech Roma population.
The issue of Matiční Street grew throughout the 1990s in Ústí nad Labem. The city gradually relocated defaulters from other neighborhoods to the short street near the river, creating a large community of socially excluded individuals where drug and alcohol use were rampant. Noise, boredom, and crime became everyday occurrences. Residents on the opposite side, who owned family homes, began protesting the situation.
In response, the local council decided to build a 1.8-meter-high fence to separate the two sides. Construction began on 13 October 1999 and immediately sparked global outrage. The fence was condemned by figures like President Václav Havel, European Commissioner Günter Verheugen, and even Bill Clinton. Delegations of Czech and European politicians visited Ústí, and Matiční became a major issue, threatening Czechia's accession to the European Union.
After six weeks, the wall was dismantled, but it remains a lasting symbol of the troubled coexistence between the majority population and the Roma minority in Czechia.
In recent years, the situation has improved. Some houses have been demolished, while others have been renovated. The street has now become crisis housing for people with serious personal problems.
