The Romanian government's response to a peaceful uprising is a traumatic reminder of the frailty of our democratic gains.
Fifty years on from the crushing of the Prague Spring and almost 30 years after the 1989 revolutionary upheaval, Eastern Europe is experiencing a vicious return to authoritarianism.
Romanians experienced this first hand on Friday, as police used brutal force to crush protests in Bucharest that saw more than 100,000 Romanians from all over the world gather in the capital's PiaČ›a Victoriei, “Victory Square,” to protest rampant government corruption.
Similar demonstrations — initiated by diaspora communities alongside local groups — took place in every major city in Romania, but police only resorted to force in the capital. The outcome of those clashes shocked many, both across Romania and abroad.
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