May day without communism

Thousands of people gathered at Letna plain on May 1st to resurrect an old celebration, but with a difference: this time they were not forced to attend by the government.

Under communist rule, May day in Prague meant mass organised rallies on the Letna plain to celebrate Labour Day. That tradition was firmly subverted on Monday however, as in place of traditional Communist slogans, festival goers carried banners which read "Communism Harms People" and "Decent Men do not Need Communism". Organised by the Confederation of Political Prisoners, this year marked the first time that a non-communist affiliated group had managed to book the field for the day; the communists were too slow off the mark and had to make do with the bottom of the hill. The gathering was titled "May Day without Communism for Ever" a take-off of the former Communist motto "With the Soviet Union for Ever", and kicked off with the Czech and Slovak national anthems performed by Prague Castle Guard. Later people commemorated the fates of the thousands who were held as political prisoners during Communist times.