In Slovakia, a student’s chalk drawings on school steps ignited a nationwide wave of protests, forcing officials to confront a surge of anti‑Prime‑Minister sentiment that spread from Poprad to Bratislava.
Student’s Chalk Protest in Poprad
In late October, Michal, a 19‑year‑old student from Poprad, drew a blue‑yellow heart in the Ukrainian flag colors on the sidewalk outside his school. Beside the heart he added two slogans: “Enough of Fico!” and “What does Putin taste like?” The gestures were intended as a quiet protest against Prime Minister Robert Fico’s visits. The chalk marks stirred local discussion when the school dean encountered Michal and recorded the conversation on her phone.
Fico’s Address Sparks Backlash
On November 7, Prime Minister Fico was scheduled to speak to students at a high school in Poprad. His lecture title, “Political Situation of the Slovak Republic, its Current Challenges, Direction, and Significance in the Context of European and Global Relations,” struck many as formal and detached, prompting the student protest. After the school officials called the police, Michal was taken to a police station, fined 30 euros for the use of vulgar language, and later released.
Nationwide Chalk Wave
In the days following the incident, chalk slogans appeared across Slovakia, from Bratislava to Kosice to Ružomberok. The slogans ranged from mild, such as “Enough of Fico,” to more incendiary claims labeling Fico a traitor, collaborator, or Russian agent. Some commentators described the movement as a “chalk revolution” that spread like mushrooms after rain.
Political Fallout and Police Response
Policymaking officials reacted sharply. Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Esztok recalled an earlier attack on Fico, noting that in May 2023 his gunman, Juraj Cintula, shot the prime minister in Handlová. Chief of the Office of the Prime Minister, Juraj Gedra, posted a statement that the “mental Cintula” had been found in youth form in Poprad and that it was even more troubling that progressive media turn the incident into a showcase of primitive hatred. His comments drew rebuke from human‑rights groups and civil‑society activists who deemed them “shocking indecency.”
Expert Analysis
Political scientist Juraj Marusíak of the Slovak Academy of Sciences noted that the protest would not topple the government but “embarrassed the ruling coalition.” He argued that the government’s fear of a single chalk sign revealed low self‑esteem and that Fico’s speech was addressed more to loyal voters of his party Smer (Kierunek) than to the students themselves.
