Prague, Czechia - 16 June 2001

On 16 June there was a street party in Prague, organised by Ulice Lidem/ Reclaim the Streets Prague. The Street Party was against the privatization and enclosure of public spaces in cities, against automobilism, against new laws that prohibit the freedom to gather, and against the system that supports all of this - capitalism. The action was also in solidarity with the anticapitalist protests in Gothenburg.

About 700 people gathered at noon at a meeting point, and marched to a mainroad in Prague. They blocked this street. Banners were flown that read, "Streets for people!", "Liberate the city from automobilism and pollution, capitalism and impoverishment!", "Concrete feeds apathy - resistance is fertile", "No servant - no master."

The samba band played for the majority of the time and many bystanders joined the band. Also a Navaho Indians group called Black Fire played the drums with great success. Inside the blocked street people played football, juggled, chalked the street, and did various performances. Many people with children also joined the festivities. Police watched the action and did not attack. After three hours everyone left the streets and marched to Namesti Miru, the square where S26 began. On the square, members of Ulice Lidem/RTS, the Czechoslovakian Anarchist Federation, the Feminist Group of the 8th of March, and the Organization of Revolutionary Anarchists - Solidarita held speeches that were well attended. No one was arrested.

In despite of previous street parties in Prague (1998-99) fewer people attended this year. However, this street party was more political; it was without soundsystems, but had many creative elements such as the samba band, puppets, masks of minister of interior, and so on. People were much more active than in the past.

The Street Party was the biggest action in Prague after s26. We hope that it strengthened the people who attended, and that it was a small step in thecreation of an anticapitalist movement in the Czech Republic.

kids in sandpit on M41
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Updated 5 July 2001