Why did demonstrations in Wenceslas Square grow in November 1989?

In November 1989, demonstrations in Wenceslas Square grew into a massive protest movement, known as the Velvet Revolution, primarily due to public indignation following an incident of police brutality.12

The unrest began on November 17, 1989, during an officially sanctioned student march in Prague intended to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the suppression of a student demonstration during the German occupation. Although the march was initially approved by authorities, participants began criticizing the communist regime, leading police to react with force.134

This act of violence served as a catalyst for widespread public anger. Emboldened by the absence of Soviet intervention and the collapse of communist regimes in neighboring countries, students, intellectuals, and eventually hundreds of thousands of citizens gathered in the streets to demand democratic reforms, free elections, and an end to one-party rule. These daily mass gatherings in the capital ultimately forced the communist leadership to resign and negotiate a transition to a democratic government.2134