Thousands of people in the Czech Republic rallied against the government on Saturday, protesting high inflation and demanding an end to the country’s military support for Ukraine.
The protest was organized by a new political group, PRO, which opposes sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and calls for a referendum on leaving NATO.
The protesters chanted “Stop war, stop NATO” and “Czech Republic first” as they marched through Prague’s city center. They also criticized the government for failing to address rising energy prices and living costs.
The rally was one of several anti-government demonstrations that have taken place in recent months amid growing discontent with Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s conservative coalition.
Fiala has defended his government’s policies as necessary to protect Czech interests and security. He has also pledged to increase social spending and lower taxes to ease the economic burden on citizens.
The Czech Republic is one of several European countries that have offered military aid to Ukraine amid escalating tensions with Russia. The country has also been hit hard by a surge in gas prices due to low supplies from Russia.
