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Summary for: Mass protest in Prague draws 10,000, warns of rising populist, extremist threatsA reported 10,000 people filled Old Town Square Sunday afternoon for a rally organized by Czech initiative Million Moments for Democracy, where speakers warned that populist and extremist parties could threaten the country’s democratic direction if they enter the Chamber of Deputies after this autumn’s elections.
Demonstrators waved Czech, EU, and Ukrainian flags and carried banners reading “We don’t want Russia here.” Many came to express concerns about ANO, SPD, and Stačilo!.
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Organizers highlighted what they called “positive patriotism” in support of the West, freedom, and democracy, citing polls showing pro-Western voters are mobilizing.
“Our country is flourishing, but our democracy is not,” lyricist Tomáš Dvořák told the crowd, warning that freedom is not guaranteed and highlighting the spread of disinformation. In a video message, priest and author Marek “Orko” Vácha referenced St. Wenceslas, the canonized martyr honored on Sept. 28’s national holiday.
“This year, it will depend even more on each of us. We will have to decide between good and evil. Choose good. Saint Wenceslas, be with us.”
Ties to Russia called out
Former senator Martin Mejstřík called for a ban on Russian disinformation channels and prosecution of those spreading or glorifying Russian propaganda. Klára Šimáčková Laurenčíková, the government’s human rights commissioner, said defending independent media and the judiciary was essential.
“We must not let ourselves be fooled into believing that communists and extremists have good intentions for our country. They don’t,” she said, adding such parties aim to pull the Czech Republic into “the hands of totalitarian Russia.”
Other cultural and sports figures, including actor Jan Hrušínský, urged voters to support EU and NATO values and avoid parties they called “friends of Russia.”
“I will vote for freedom, democracy and security,” said Hrušínský, a signatory of Charter 77. “I will not vote for ANO, the communists, and certainly not for Klaus’ Motorists. I will not vote for friends of Russia.”
The rally ended with participants raising flyers spelling “no” before singing the national anthem.
Protests' impact uncertain
The event was part of Million Moments’ campaign “Dese(t) k volbam,” which encourages people to speak with ten others about the importance of voting. Organizers said tens of thousands have already signed their appeal.
Whether these efforts will affect the Oct. 3–4 elections remains uncertain. Political scientist Miloš Brunclík of Charles University told Seznam Zprávy that the initiative’s impact may be greatest among disappointed government and Pirate Party voters.
Recent polls show ANO leading with 29.3 percent support in the STEM model, ahead of the coalition of Civic Democrats, Christian Democrats, and TOP 09 (Together) at roughly 20.5 percent. SPD is third with 13.4 percent, followed by STAN at 11.7 percent and the Pirates at 10.1 percent.
