Snowmen built against Communists in regional government

Zlin, South Moravia, Feb 20 (CTK) - The building of snowmen and car horn hooting started the protest against the presence of Czech Communists in the regional government Wednesday, activist Radek Pelz, from the civic group Repellant 21, has told CTK.

The protest was staged before the third meeting of the regional assembly. The regional coalition was formed by the victorious Social Democrats (CSSD), Communists (KSCM) and president-elect Milos Zeman's SPOZ party.

Protesters waved the banners "Hoot the Reds Out of the Region," calling on car drivers to hoot outside the regional office.

"The Social Democrats and Communists claim that we do not have sufficient support and that we are nothing but a handful of troublemakers who are trying to change the situation in the region in a populist manner," Pelz said.

"This is why we have decided to give a chance to those passing by the assembly building to voice their opinion," he added.

Besides, snowmen were built outside the building as part of the protest.

Snowmen were also built near the statues of shoemaking moguls Tomas and Jan Antonin Bata facing the assembly building.

"As we were not allowed to turn Bata's statues, we at least turned the snowmen with their backs to the region," Pelz said.

Pelz said the snowmen symbolised innocence and the fact that the group's activists do not have the same means as politicians with which to confront them, he added.

"This is our only chance with which to appeal that the KSCM should not govern from the Zlin Region," Pelz said.

The Batas' statues had on their faces respirators with the text "Reds Stink." The activists will distribute them to the people in the assembly building later Wednesday.

A symbolical prison cell surrounded with metal bars will be built outside the office later Wednesday, too. A petition against the Communists in the regional government that has already been signed by 12,000 people can still be signed by others there, activist Radek Hegmon said.

Since the October 2012 regional elections, the Social Democrats and Communists have been ruling in most of the 13 Czech regions. Protests against this arrangement have been staged in a number of them.