Prague on the March

It was a weekend to wear your heart on your sleeve and let your feet do the talking. An unusually large number of people took to Prague streets in protest or in support of one thing or another last weekend. The most uplifting was the 10^th annual March against Breast Cancer in which more than 10,000 people took part. A smaller contingent was on hand to demonstrate for foreign workers rights. About 100 people gathered outside the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs office to protest what they see as unfair restrictions on foreigners wanting to work in the Czech Republic. The 7^th annual March against Hunger saw about 200 people walk a five kilometer route through the center of the city. Proceeds from the event were donated to the UN’s World Food Programme. And finally, about 100 people gathered on Wenceslas Square and then marched to the Israeli Embassy to protest the Israeli blockade in Gaza.

For the most part, rallies and demonstrations in Prague are small and without incident. A popular place for groups to gather and share their message is Palackého náměstí in Prague 2 near the Vltava River. Known as Prague’s Hyde Park; it’s the only square in the city where groups don’t have to get advance permission to hold an assembly there. A small Christmas market is held here, too. The square is dominated by a statue of František Palacký; a Czech politician, writer and historian, best known for the books he wrote about Czech history. Down the steps there’s a nice grassy area popular with the neighborhood dogs. The church spires you see in the background belong to the Emmaus Monastery. Founded in 1347, it was one of the few buildings in Prague to be damaged in World War II.

Photos courtesy of Aktron and Karelj