The idea of establishing trade unions independent from the Polish United Workers' Party came up in Szczecin during the 1970 strike sparked by the brutal quelling of street protests on 17 and 18 December. The subject was brought up again during the strikes of January 1971, and in August of 1980, the strikers made it their flagship demand. The events of 1980 lead to the formation of the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union "Solidarity” (NSZZ “Solidarność”), which eventually brought down the communist regime in Poland.