2024-08-25 07:07:28
What does the raised fist symbolize – resistance or solidarity?
4 years after the anti-government protests in the square in front of the presidency, which became famous with the raised fist of the head of state Rumen Radev, we saw how the acting minister of the interior, Kalin Stoyanov, also raised his fist in front of the policemen who gathered there in his defense.
Some on Facebook jokingly renamed the square in front of the presidency from “Nezavisimost” to “Yumruchniki”.
Kalin Stoyanov explained that his gesture was a greeting to the policemen, this is how he usually greeted law enforcement officers.
What does the raised fist symbolize in the collective mind? “24 Chasa” asked the social psychologist Assoc. Nikolay Dimitrov for a comment.
The fist gesture is nowhere near as old as the world. In modern culture, it is perceived, roughly speaking, in two senses – as an expression of resistance and of solidarity. He is the epitome of political and trade union protest and opinion. It has its meaning beyond that – as an ordinary friendly greeting, as defined by the Minister of the Interior Kalin Stoyanov, explains Prof. Dimitrov.
According to him, politicians should be aware not only of what, but also where they do it, as well as not only about the specific gesture, but also about the associations it would cause.
According to him, if it was really a “friendly greeting to colleagues”, it is problematic, because Kalin Stoyanov is not a colleague of the police officers, but their boss.
The fist salute has been used as a powerful political symbol by various leaders. Although a simple gesture, it has a deep symbolic meaning in history, mostly a tool to mobilize people. This is evident from the people with whom he is most often associated. Some of the most famous are of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara before, during and after the Cuban Revolution. The other famous example is the anti-apartheid fighter in South Africa – Nelson Mandela.
The most recent example is the attempted assassination of former US President Donald Trump. Shortly after a bullet goes through his ear and leaves him bleeding, and the Secret Service knock him to the ground to protect him, as he stands up he raises his fist and exalts the crowd. Hours later, the image began appearing on t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, and more.