Large Anti-NATO Protest in Prague

Sept. 4, 2022 (EIRNS)—NATO partisans are fond of talking about how “unified” the alliance is against Russia, but a protest in the Czech Republic yesterday seems to belie that. At least 70,000 people—organizers say up to 100,000—filled Wenceslas Square in Prague yesterday protesting against the government’s militantly pro-NATO policies. According to Reuters, they called on the ruling coalition to do more to control soaring energy prices and voicing opposition to the European Union and NATO. Organizers of the demonstration said the central European nation should be neutral militarily and ensure direct contracts with gas suppliers, including Russia. (The Czech Republic holds this semester’s presidency of the European Union Council.)

“The aim of our demonstration is to demand change, mainly in solving the issue of energy prices, especially electricity and gas, which will destroy our economy this autumn,” event co-organizer Jiri Havel told iDNES.cz news website. Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who leads the center-right, five-party coalition, told CTK news service on Sept. 3 that the protesters did not have the country’s best interests at heart. “The protest on Wenceslas Square was called by forces that are pro-Russian, are close to extreme positions and are against the interests of the Czech Republic,” he said (apparently if you’re worried about having enough gas and electricity, you’re pro-Russian).

AP adds that the protesters condemned the government for its support of the sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine and accused it of not being able to tackle soaring energy prices. The demonstrators also criticized NATO, and the European Union and the 27-nation bloc’s plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions.