On September 16, thousands of Czechs gathered at Prague’s Wenceslas Square to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s government, condemning its stance on Ukraine and voicing opposition to NATO, the EU, cultural and political globalism, and as Washington’s interference in European affairs.
Estimates revealed that around 10,000 people took part in the “pro-Russian” rally, as per local reports cited by Reuters as well as other mainstream media outlets. Nonetheless, the Czech non-parliamentary PRO (Law, Respect, Expertise) party led by Jindřich Rajchl alleged that more than 100,000 people were involved in the anti-government demonstrations, which were the third of their kind this year.
Rajchl and other party organizers asserted that there were some 100,000 to 150,000 present at the two-hour-long demonstration last weekend, vociferously slamming the establishment press for what they said was a major underestimate of the turnout. During his speech, Rajchl urged demonstrators to avoid mainstream media and listen to “alternative outlets” instead.
Together with groups of protesters that poured into the square, many Czech flags, placards, and banners dotted the air above the crowd. Messages such as “Down with the USA’s henchmen,” “Down with NATO,” and “No bases,” could be read on some banners, while other demonstrators held signs protesting runaway inflation, the government’s response to the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, and what they deem as the government’s compliance with U.S. demands.
Rajchl posited during the event that the Czech Republic’s current five-party ruling coalition, led by Fiala, was “following orders from Brussels,” decrying Fiala’s continued military aid to Ukraine, as well as its close relations with the United States.
“We don’t want an EU government, we don’t want an American government or a Ukrainian government, we don’t want a Russian or Chinese government, we want a government of the Czech Republic, of Czech citizens,” Rajchl proclaimed, urging the government to emphasize Czechs’ interests over those of external powers.
“We made another step today to move out of the way the rock that is the government of Mr. [Prime Minister] Fiala,” Rajchl addressed his audience, lampooning Fiala’s five-party coalition government as “agents of foreign powers, people who carry out orders, and ordinary puppets.”
“And I do not want a puppet government anymore,” Rajchl elaborated, declaring that the Czech Republic should block any efforts by Ukraine to join the NATO military bloc. Moreover, the politician cautioned that the widespread influx of Ukrainian refugees was jeopardizing the Czech Republic’s social and healthcare systems.
Speakers at last weekend’s rally dismissed allegations that the PRO and the protesters backed the Russian government. Other speakers opposed the EU’s Green Deal, which they stated would ruin the Czech economy, and rejected leftist gender ideology.
Protesters also had a bone to pick with how Fiala’s government has been tackling double-digit inflation, implementing tax changes, amending pension arrangements, adopting measures to reduce fossil-fuel usage in the automotive industry, as well as enforcing Covid-19 restrictions under Fiala.
In April this year, the PRO party also staged similar protests, with protesters denouncing the Czech government for channeling too many resources to aid Ukraine’s fight Russia instead of addressing domestic issues. During that time, protesters also called for the country’s leadership, which some blasted for being “full of warmongers” who are making the Czech people suffer economically, to step down. The same April rally saw thousands of people gather under the banner “against poverty” and march to the Straka Academy, the seat of the government, as the online newspaper iDNES reported. Protesters, most of whom accuse Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s center-right government of being overly concerned with Ukraine while neglecting the needs of Czechs, were seen carrying banners with the words “Away with NATO,” “No war,” and “Lying government and media.”
“We are here to stand up for our country and for our Czech Republic. We want to take down the five-coalition Fiala government with a non-violent civil protest,” Rajchl said in April.
“Collect the last remnants of your honor, realize that you are not up to [the task], and resign,” he said, alluding to Fiala’s government.
Rajchl also slammed Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova for being “the biggest security risk for our country” owing to her pro-war stance.
The PRO has not been alone in its opposition to Fiala’s pro-Western government. Since September of last year, Prague has witnessed protests staged by the center-left Action of Dissatisfied Citizens (ANO), far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD), and the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM). PRO is just one of the organizations to leverage a wide spectrum of Czechs who are upset over the government’s foreign policy and mediocre communication to the people. After their large protest in mid-April, PRO continued a sit-in at the Straka Academy.
“We sent them [the government] about two months ago our requirements, which are positive and very constructive, and we requested a reaction, which is based on the reaction of hundreds of thousands of Czechs, and they haven’t reacted at all,” Rajchl told Russia Today in April. The politician and activist added that the group hoped to “level up” its protests and continue to mount pressure as long as the government neglected their proposals.
Prague has been one of the Kyiv regime’s closest allies in the latter’s ongoing conflict with Moscow. Since fighting broke out in February 2022, the Czech Republic has provided Ukraine with tanks, rocket launchers, helicopters, artillery shells, and other military support. The country has also welcomed around 460,000 Ukrainian refugees since the crisis erupted, with 300,000 of them still residing there, based on a Euronews report earlier this year.
Eurostat also added that the Czech Republic, a country of 10.5 million, has received the highest number of Ukrainian refugees, relative to population, of any EU country. According to figures updated as of April this year, the country’s inflation rates are among the highest in the EU, at 17.5 percent, 16.7 percent, and 15 percent in the first three months of this year, respectively.
