A number of events have been held in Prague to mark the anniversary of the
beginning of the Velvet Revolution, which led to the collapse of the
communist regime in 1989. President Vaclav Klaus, former president Vaclav
Havel and Prime Minister Stanislav Gross laid flowers at the spot where
riot police attacked a peaceful student demonstration on Narodni trida
exactly 15 years ago.
Mr Havel, the former dissident who led the Velvet Revolution and was
elected president shortly after the fall of communism, was greeted by
cheers of "long live Havel, long live Havel".
Other politicians and many ordinary Czechs laid wreathes and lit candles
at the memorial on Narodni Street throughout the day.