Thousands Demand the Resignation of the Government in Prague

In Prague, 70,000 people took to the streets on Saturday to protest against the sharp rise in energy prices and to demand a neutral position on the war in Ukraine.

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The organisers said after the end of the demonstration that if the government does not resign by 25 September, they will announce pressure actions and will plan for another protest on 28 September.

"We demand the establishment of a temporary government of experts and the calling of early elections. If the government does not resign by 25 September, we will declare the right to resistance under the Constitution of the Czech Republic at a nationwide demonstration and announce coercive actions. We are already in talks with trade unions, businessmen, farmers, mayors, transport operators and other organisations to declare a strike," the organisers warned.

The gathering on Wenceslas Square is going on peacefully and we haven't had to solve any serious problems so far. We estimate the number of participants at 2:30 p.m. to be around 70,000.

Police estimate that about 70,000 people gathered on Wenceslas Square for the more than three-hour demonstration against the government.

According to Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS), the event was called by forces that claim to have a pro-Russian orientation, are close to extremists and are against the interests of the Czech Republic.

However, the protest are so far peaceful and without any serious problems.

Among the speakers at Saturday's event were former Agrarian Chamber President Zdeněk Jandejsek and energy expert Vladimír Štěpán.

Other speakers included SPD MP Jiří Kobza, Trikolora chair Zuzana Majerová, Communist presidential candidate Josef Skála, economist and dean of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Economics in Prague Miroslav Ševčík, and lawyer Jana Zwyrtek Hamplová.

According to the organisers, the Czech Republic should declare neutrality, "free itself from direct political subservience to the EU, the WHO or the UN", secure cheap gas supplies from Russia and "free Czech industry from dependence on foreign companies".