Genre Electronic music Years active 1994-2006 | Location(s) Czech Republic Attendance 40,000+ | |
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CzechTek was an annual teknival normally held on the weekend at the end of July in the Czech Republic. It attracted thousands of free tekno dancers from several European countries (40,000 people attended in 2003 and 2006). Open invitations were usually made to all sound systems, performers and all people with positive thinking.
Contents
Description
Every year the festival was held in different locations around the Czech Republic. The festival was not the same as more commercial festivals such as the Love Parade or the Street Parade. It was usually set on ex-military land or in a meadow near a forest.
There was little or no organisation, since the idea of free tekno is based on personal freedom and responsibility. Although later teknivals required organisation due to large numbers of attendees. The style and image of the people was also different from that of the Love Parade's participants, it was more underground. Festivals were held on an illegally occupied grounds as well as properly rented. The location of the meeting was always revealed one day before the event on Czech rave websites.
History
The first CzechTek was held in 1994 at Hostomice, it was organized by the Spiral Tribe sound system and a group of artists called the Mutoid Waste Company, foreigners also prevailed among participants. Next year at the same location have already played the first Czech sound systems, especially still functioning Cirkus Alien sound system. It later developed into a great festival for tens of thousands of people from many different countries in Europe.
CzechTek 2005
In 2005 shortly after the start, the CzechTek festival was broken up by police. There were hundreds of injuries, and the police confirmed the death of a young participant. Reportedly he was "killed by a truck which left the site" but no witnesses were found to verify the police statement. The organizers of CzechTek claimed to be permitted to set up the event around Mlýnec (Tachov District), in the west of the country close to the German border.
However, around 1,000 riot police arrived, using heavy equipment including tear gas, water cannons and the military BVP vehicle stating damage of private property. They damaged cars, electronic equipment and other property. The standoff between police and public resulted in multiple injured on both sides. Police used massive amounts of tear gas and stun grenades, broke car windows with iron bars or threw gas grenades in. Protests arose outside the Czech interior ministry. The Czech president criticized the heavy use of police force. The Prime Minister, Jiří Paroubek, defended the action, stating that the tekno fans were "not dancing children but dangerous people".
Several months after the clash, all charges against police were dropped, in most cases this was due to failure to identify a policeman, some because there has not been considered an offense. In April 2006, there was a march followed by a free party in Strasbourg, France to protest against police repression in general and against the actions of the Czech police in closing CzechTek specifically.
CzechTek 2006
On 14 June 2006 an agreement was signed between the Military of the Czech Republic and the Association of Czech Sound Systems. The festival was held on land which was part of the Hradiště Military Region. Close cooperation with the state administration caused some resentment on the part of the freetekno community. It took place without any repeat of the previous year's violence.
Czechtek discontinued
As the co-ordinators stated (on the official site of CzechTek) after the last event in 2006, Czechtek has been discontinued.
Manifest
In regard of fact that situation around Czechtek isn't bearable anymore, the representatives
of czech freetekno community came to this radical decision. This year, and very probably even never again, any action of size and under name Czechtek won't be realized.
And these are the reasons:
Signed by: Oktekk, Strahov, NSK, AKA.IO, Komatsu, Spiritual, Mayapur, Layka, Pentatonika, Merkur, Fatal Noise, Matchbox, Luxor, Cirkus Alien, Vosa, Bazooka, Koryto, Shamanic, Zuqwa, Czajovna, Figura, Machine Works, Metro, Ultimate Crew, Basswood, Mutaphone, FDM, Jednota, TMC, NabaziGangoo, Massive Elementz, UANDU Tribe, MHD, Hondzik Sound, Witacid, Iluzor, Detox23, Pandemic, Spectro, Radiator, Swampsound, Gummo, EskanoiZZe, Tsunami, Yaga, Synthetik, MiMiK, Squakka, Mandala, Alkaline, Dynamodestroy, Triptekk, Tekkirk, Remek, FSS, Shadow cabaret, Invaders, Mushroom, Bassmekk, Swazarm, Techamin, Laydakk, Othersidesystem, Inkognito, T2B ...