Letná protest draws crowds as speakers warn of extremist influence in government

Large crowds of people gathered on Prague’s Letná plain on Saturday for a protest organized by Million Moments for Democracy, with the area filling up even before the official start. Public transport to the site was crowded and volunteers helped direct arriving participants. Police said the event was largely peaceful, although officers detained a man who had been firing airsoft guns from a nearby window.

Speakers sharply criticized the government of Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) and warned of democratic backsliding. Actor Ivan Trojan said it was “too high a price” for Babiš’s political immunity that extremist and populist parties hold key ministries such as foreign affairs and defence. While acknowledging the election results, he argued that real political influence was shifting toward parties like SPD and Motorists. Trojan also warned against growing aggression in politics and said Czechia risked following the path of Hungary and Slovakia, including weakening support for Ukraine.

Former Academy of Sciences head Václav Pačes cautioned that a proposed law on registering foreign ties of NGOs could be misused to gradually limit personal freedoms. Million Moments chairman Mikuláš Minář said the protest aimed to defend democracy and reject the abuse of power, stressing that the group receives no foreign or public funding.