Letná Alive Again: Quarter of a Million Protest Against Babiš

Largest Demonstration Since 1989

Hundreds of thousands of people filled Prague's Letná Park on Saturday, March 21. The Million Moments for Democracy association, led by Mikuláš Minář, convened the gathering titled "We Won't Let Our Future Be Stolen," which organizers claimed was the largest anti-government demonstration since the fall of communism in 1989. Organizers estimated the turnout at 250,000 people, but police did not confirm the exact number.

Letná, a place symbolically linked to the mass protests during the Velvet Revolution, has once again become the epicenter of civic dissent after more than six years. In 2019, Million Moments gathered a similar number of demonstrators there against the then-government of Andrej Babiš.

Trigger: Rejection of Babiš and Okamura's Extradition

The immediate impetus for the protest was the recent vote in the Chamber of Deputies, which refused to extradite Prime Minister Andrej Babiš for criminal prosecution in the case of a two-million-euro EU subsidy fraud. The Chamber also did not extradite SPD leader Tomio Okamura, who faces charges of inciting hatred. Both decisions mean that the politicians cannot be tried until the end of their mandates in 2029.

In response to the vote, the organizers declared that Czech society is divided into "ordinary people and the untouchable."

Fears of Democratic Decline

Demonstrators expressed concern about the direction of the coalition government of the ANO movement, the SPD party, and Motorists to Themselves. The main points of criticism included:

• Planned changes to the funding of public service media
• Preparation of a law on foreign ties, likened to Russian legislation on "foreign agents"
• Reducing defense spending despite the Russian threat
• Refusing financial aid to Ukraine and deviating from pro-European foreign policy

Million Moments chairman Mikuláš Minář declared from the stage: "We are here to clearly oppose dragging our country down the path of Slovakia and Hungary." He called on young people to become more involved in political parties and opposition leaders to set out "red lines" towards the government.

Prominent Speakers and Symbolism

A number of prominent figures spoke on the podium. Actor Ivan Trojan criticized cuts in defense and the influence of extremist parties. Director and screenwriter Zdeněk Svěrák described attempts to control television and radio as "impudence, not a joke." Former President of the Academy of Sciences Václav Pačes warned that the prepared law could easily be misused to restrict personal freedom. Singer Aneta Langerová, actor Jiří Lábus, and historian Hana Kubátová also spoke.

At the end of the protest, a group of people dressed as Knights of Blaník appeared — legendary protectors who, according to legend, are to come to the aid in the most difficult times.

Reactions from the Government and Opposition

Former Prime Minister Petr Fiala expressed respect and gratitude to the demonstrators. In contrast, Foreign Minister Petr Macinka dismissed the demonstration as "standard opposition rhetoric" and declared that democracy is not threatened by the government, but by "pressure groups." Prime Minister Babiš did not publicly comment on the demonstration.

The protest lasted approximately two and a half hours and ended with the national anthem. Police did not record any serious incidents, only detaining a man who fired an airsoft gun from a window near Letná.