May Day in Czechia marked by rallies, concerts and student festival

May Day, or Labour Day, is a public holiday in the Czech Republic, traditionally marked by political rallies, concerts and the “majales” student festival held in Prague and other cities.

For many Czechs, May 1 is a celebration of love, the equivalent of Valentine’s Day, when couples spend time together and kiss under cherry trees in bloom to seal their love. In Prague, couples head for Petřín Hill to kiss beneath the statue of Czech romantic poet Karel Hynek Mácha, author of the iconic epic poem Máj.

Meanwhile political parties used the public holiday for campaigning ahead of the autumn general elections, with rallies on Prague's Střelecký ostrov and other locations in the capital.

Several hundred people joined an anarchists’ march through the city centre in the afternoon hours of Monday. Participants sported banners reading “Make Fascists Afraid Again” and “Right wing extremism is not an alternative.” The police was out in force for the event but no incidents were reported.