City hall bans anti-radar protest

Prague City Hall has banned a protest march coinciding with this weekend’s visit by US President Barack Obama. The city issued the ban on the grounds the demonstration could interfere with traffic and compromise security during Sunday’s EU-US Summit. Activists are planning to protest the possibility of a US radar base being stationed on Czech soil – part of missile defence plans pursued by Mr Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush. The Obama administration has been more ambiguous about the system. The Czech Republic signed two treaties on the base with the US but the plans have not been ratified in the lower house. Activists in Prague say they will go ahead with their march regardless of Thursday’s decision; it is estimated some 2,000 people could take part.