‘Cross-legged’ in Pristina, Kosovo
During the 1990 protests, thousands of Kosovo Albanians gathered peacefully in Pristina to oppose the Serbian regime. Among them was Faik Rexhepi, a chemical engineer from nearby Presheva, who joined the protesters after learning of a visit by a US delegation and the publicity it might bring to the Albanian cause. When Serbian police moved in to disperse the crowd with batons, everyone fled except Rexhepi, who remained seated and was brutally beaten. Photographer Hazir Reka captured the defining moment: Rexhepi sitting peacefully surrounded by unfriendly policemen. The photograph soon appeared in national and international newspapers, becoming a symbol of Kosovo Albanian resistance. Following Kosovo's independence, by November 2022, Pristina Mayor unveiled Këmbëkryq (“Crossed Legs”), a bronze sculpture by local artist Eliza Shala depicting Rexhepi seated on the floor in a pose identical to the iconic photo. Located in what is now Zahir Pajaziti Square, the sculpture immortalizes the scene that took place there more than three decades earlier.
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