Pro-democracy Rally to Mark 70th Anniversary of Communist Coup

Prague, Feb 8 (CTK) – A demonstration in support of freedom, democracy and free business will be held in Prague’s Wenceslas Square on February 25, the 70th anniversary of the communist coup in Czechoslovakia, the organisers from about 20 associations announced in a press release today.

 

The organisers include the Freeholder Party and the Confederation of Political Prisoners.

 

They warn against the introduction of totalitarian practices and say the country is threatened with single-party government again.

 

“We are convinced that people like [ANO leader and PM] Andrej Babis and the structures around President [Milos] Zeman misuse their power for their own benefit and pose a big threat to democracy in the Czech Republic,” Radomil Babek said on behalf of the organisers.

 

The demonstration will be “supervised” by participants in the uniforms of People’s Militia, which is former communist para-military units, and the communist riot police.

 

“We want to remind people of how fragile freedom can be. That is why we will use the uniforms of the bolshevik oppressors. Still as a joke, for the time being,” Babek said.

 

The participants in the demonstration will vote in public their no confidence in [Babis’s] one-party government and sign a February appeal in support of freedom and democracy, an open letter calling on politicians to observe democratic principles.

 

Babis’s ANO comfortably won the October 2017 general election and formed a minority cabinet, which, however, did not gain lawmakers’ confidence in January. Babis has launched new government-forming negotiations.