ACTA opponents plan country-wide protest

Prague, Feb 8 (CTK) - Czech opponents of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) will join the planned all-European protests on Saturday and stage demonstrations across the country, the Czech Pirate Party writes on its web page yesterday.

Some 1500 people have said on Facebook they will join the protest march through Prague on Saturday.

The demonstrations have been called by the Pirate Party that already staged an event in early February in which more than 1000 people marched up Prague Castle, the presidential seat.

The Saturday event will start in Prague's Old Town Square and will continue with a protest march across Prague.

The organisers have called on the participants to wear carnival-like masks and their attire should imitate an octopus, a symbol of the tentacles of ACTA.

The international agreement that has been joined by EU 22 countries aims to create rules to strengthen the observance of intellectual property rights, fight the spread of illegal copies and counterfeits of all kind, including music, films, medicines, brand clothes as well as consumer electronics.

The critics say this will open the door to Internet censorship and restrict its free use.

The Czech Republic has joined ACTA, but Prime Minister Petr Necas said on Monday the country is suspending the process of ratification.

Poland has also suspended the ratification.