Largest anti-government protest since 2019 draws massive crowds in Prague

Tens of thousands of people gathered in Prague on March 21 for the largest anti-government protest in the Czech Republic since 2019, Czech media reported.

Demonstrators filled Letna park, a historic protest site from 1989, to oppose the policies of Prime Minister Andrej Babis and his new coalition government.

Some organizers have even estimated that up to 200,000 people attended, waving Czech flags and holding banners reading “Lets defend democracy.”

Protest leaders warned that the government could move the country away from the European mainstream and closer to Hungary and Slovakia, with one organizer saying they were protesting “against dragging our country onto the path of Slovakia and Hungary.”

Critics are particularly concerned about a proposed law similar to Russia’s foreign agents legislation, which would require NGOs and individuals receiving foreign funding to register with the state.

Former Academy of Sciences head Vaclav Paces told the crowd that “this law can easily be used to restrict personal freedom.”

Demonstrators also oppose plans to change the funding of public broadcasters, which critics say could increase government control over the media.

The protest was also fueled by a recent parliament decision to keep Babis’ immunity in a fraud case, delaying any possible court verdict until after his term ends in 2029.

Since the outset of Russia's full-scale invasion, Czechia has stood out as one of Ukraine's most dependable allies, providing heavy weapons, including tanks, multiple-launch rocket systems, and helicopters, and welcoming hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees.

However, Czech politics has seen a rise in populist rhetoric over the past few months, with the ANO party, which opposes Ukraine's membership in the European Union and vowed to halt support for Kyiv from the Czech state budget, winning in the October parliamentary elections.