Czech Republic: Hundreds protest the President's politics

Hundreds of people assembled yesterday afternoon on Hradčanské náměstí in Prague, where organizers convened a gathering against populism and the politics of Czech President Miloš Zeman. After listening to speeches, the participants marched to Wenceslas Square, where a concert to celebrate the state holiday of the Day of the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy took place.
Those attending the assembly, which was called "We Do Not Forget!" (Nezapomínáme!), carried banners reading "This country belongs to all", apparently a reaction to one of Zeman's speeches in which he stated the opposite, "We Don't Want Another Totalitarian Regime", "I don't want a President who lies", various puns on Zeman's surname such as "ZEXIT", and images of a large pair of red underpants, evidently a reference to the action undertaken by the group Ztohoven (The Way Out), members of which flew a gigantic pair of such underpants from Prague Castle instead of the President's standard last year as an act of protest. Many people wore the Czech tricolor pinned to their clothing, just as was worn during what is usually referred to as the Velvet Revolution of 1989.
Those assembled also flew the flags of the European Union, NATO, and Tibet. Philosopher Daniel Kroupa and Holocaust survivor Petr Riesel, who was imprisoned at the Terezín concentration camp, told the crowd they object to the current proposal by a group of MPs, led by Zdeněk Ondráček (Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia - KSČM) to criminalize public defamation of the President once again.
"[Those legislators] have reminded us of the situation that brought this society to its feet 27 years ago," Kroupa said. Riesel also said that the euphoria of the Velvet Revolution has disappeared and that the only people now voting are the Communists and frustrated skeptics in the country, not anybody else.
"The heroism of the Charter 77 signatories and the dissidents is being profaned," Riesel said. Others who addressed the assembly included the chair of the Pirates party, Ivan Bartoš, the priest Ladislav Heryán, and literary historian Martin C. Putna.
Zeman did not attend any of the public celebrations of the 17 November holiday and was not at Prague Castle either. He spent the day at the presidential residence.
VIDEO
Don't miss:
- Czech Republic: Dozens of events on 17 November in Prague - including ultra-right ones
- Czech university administrators, students issue statements about police banning access for students and teachers to 17 November memorial
- Czech ministers warn that extremists may attempt provocations on state holiday 17 November
- Czech academics: Promoters of hate want to trample on the anniversary of 17 November
Related articles:
- Czech churches condemn those wearing yellow Stars of David at anti-vaxxer events, call on them to apologize
- Czech Federation of Jewish Communities: Yellow Star of David at Prague demonstration is textbook abuse and relativization of a Holocaust symbol
- Czech capital sees demonstration in support of Trump and against COVID-19 pandemic suppression measures by the same extremists who march against the Roma
- COMMENTARY: Trump's bucket of filth
- German Government Commissioner on Antisemitism: COVID-19 denial now a pretext for Holocaust revisionism
- Czech protest against COVID-19 response brings together the far-right, those against the PM, those against the opposition, xenophobes - and punks
- Czech celebrations of 17 November will mostly be online, ultra-right plans to protest COVID-19 measures in the streets
- Czech riot police intervene against violent anti-COVID measure demonstrators
- Conspiracy theorists, disinformation followers and football hooligans to protest Czech Govt COVID-19 measures tomorrow in Prague
- Romani women call on Czech MPs to take the first step toward compensating forcibly, illegally sterilized persons, 150 figures support them
- Czech Radio moderator poses for photo with right-wing extremist, but public broadcaster says the rules were not broken
- Czech President to decide whether Romani musician to receive state honors as Senate proposes
Tags:
17 November, Demonstrace, Miloš Zeman, NacionalismusHEADLINE NEWS
