Czech news in brief for August 23: Saturday's top headlines

Dozens marched in Prague on Saturday in the Official Animal Rights March, calling attention to cruelty against animals. Demonstrators walked across Charles Bridge to Wenceslas Square, chanting slogans and carrying banners in English and Czech. Activists highlighted suffering on factory farms and promoted veganism. The march returned to Prague after six years, joining similar protests held the same day in Germany and Spain.

Police in Prague carried out a major overnight operation Friday, stopping 1,400 vehicles and checking 1,600 people. Officers uncovered 135 traffic offenses, detained four drivers under the influence of drugs, and found three people wanted nationwide. The action, codenamed Argument, also involved raids on hostels, bars, and shelters, where small amounts of drugs were seized. Authorities issued fines totaling 153,000 crowns.

A 44-year-old woman died Friday night in Pilsen’s Bolevec district after being struck by a tram. Police said she tripped while crossing the tracks at the intersection of Studentská and Gerská streets and was hit by a tram heading toward the city center. The driver, 34, tested negative for alcohol. Investigators are examining the circumstances of the fatal accident.

Hurricane Erin, which rapidly intensified over the Atlantic last week, is now weakening but could impact Europe next week. Models suggest the storm, currently between the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda, may reach central Europe by Thursday or Friday, bringing strong winds, rain, and cooler temperatures. Its exact path remains uncertain. Erin follows a historic season of rapidly strengthening Atlantic storms.

An army plane brought to Prague the remains of nine Czechs killed during World War II, the Defence Ministry said Friday. They include paratroopers from the Iridium and Bronse missions, a resistance fighter, and two National Defence Guard members murdered in 1938. A ceremony will be held Sept. 12 at the Vítkov Memorial before burial. The recovery effort took more than two years across Germany and Poland.

A record 138 castles, chateaux, and monuments will open after dark tonight for Castle Night 2025, organizers said. The annual event, run by the National Heritage Institute, includes music, theater, candlelit tours, and historical programs. Highlights range from hunting traditions at Hluboká Castle to costumed tours at Bezděz and swing-era events in Brno. This year’s participation is up 18 sites from 2024’s total of 120.

STAN leader Vít Rakušan scrapped plans for a joint declaration with Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Pirates head Zdeněk Hřib rejecting post-election cooperation with ANO, he said Friday. Rakušan cited the Pirates’ demand for a public format as turning the meeting into a confrontation. Hřib countered that transparency was essential. With elections six weeks away, polls show ANO leading well ahead of Together and STAN.

A 47-year-old man died Wednesday after police shot him in Prague-Ďáblice, authorities said. He had barricaded himself in an apartment, threatened his partner and officers, and threw weapons from a window. Police negotiators and a tactical unit responded. Officers found numerous knives and a firearm inside. The General Inspectorate of Security Forces is investigating. The man had a prior record of violent and drug-related crimes.

Czech company Agrofert is building a production line in Lüdersdorf, Germany, set to make 300 million bakery products annually, primarily for McDonald’s, the company said Friday. The CZK 300-million project is operated via Agrofert’s subsidiary Quality Bakers. The group, founded by ANO leader and former PM Andrej Babiš, employs about 29,000 people across 200 companies and reported a CZK 7.1-billion profit last year.

A Croatian court extended by two months the custody of Czech businessman Anton Fischer, suspected of killing his business partner, media reported Friday. Fischer and Alex Burkov, 38, went diving near Molat Island in June, but Burkov never returned. His body has not been found. Fischer, a Slovak native, has been linked in Czech and Slovak media to mafia-related crimes and intimidation cases.

A charity auction in Brno raised CZK 175,000 for Ukrainian aid, organizers said Friday. The event at Arnold Villa featured 34 works created from battlefield artifacts, including fragments of drones and ruins of destroyed buildings. Proceeds will support Koridor UA in repairing schools and homes, and Post Bellum in providing humanitarian aid and documenting stories for its Memory of the Nation project.