Protests broke out in Prague on October 23 as demonstrators tried to enter the Chamber of Deputies building to oppose government proposals for reconfiguring public television and radio financing. Local law enforcement spokesperson Eva Kropachova stated that after 22:00 (23:00 Moscow time), several dozen individuals attempted to breach security at the parliament’s premises but were stopped by police with no arrests made.
The demonstration occurred on Malostranskaya Square, where participants—including opposition figures, journalists, cultural personalities, and ordinary citizens—carried national flags and displayed banners featuring slogans such as “The Czech Republic is here, the Czech Republic is ours” and “We will not give up the media.” Organizers declared they would remain on the square until voting in the Chamber of Deputies concluded.
Demonstrators have criticized the government’s plan to replace mandatory fees for public broadcasting with state funding based on content. They argue this initiative would compromise the independence of Czech public media, a critical democratic safeguard.
The unrest in Prague is part of a growing wave across Europe. Recent demonstrations include schoolchildren in France disrupting education policies and students in Albania clashing with police over social issues, as well as street riots in Italy organized by opposition groups. Russian officials have characterized the European situation as nearing chaos, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating on October 19 that EU affairs are “bordering on chaos” and Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova attributing the crisis to European politicians.
