Prague/Brno, Oct 28 (CTK) – About 3000 people in total took part in demonstrations against migration in Prague, where armoured police had to interfere, and other Czech towns yesterday, on the occasion of a national holiday marking Czechoslovakia’s establishment.
The highest attendance was in Brno, the second largest town in the Czech Republic, where some 1500 people, including dozens of bikers, attended a rally against migrants.
Most of the demonstrations, in Prague, Brno, Ostrava, north Morvai and Usti nad Labem, north Bohemia, were organised by the Bloc against Islam and the parliamentary Dawn-National Democracy.
Armoured police had to interfere at a demonstration against the EU, migration and Islam in Prague centre. Policemen had to divide the groups of opponents and supporters of refugees.
The rally attracted hundreds of people. Many of them carried Czech flags.
Shortly after the beginning, some 30 activists with a loudhailer and banners expressing opposite opinions, approached the anti-migration demonstration.
Both groups tried to shout each other down until the police intervened.
According to the police estimates, some 300 people are on the square.
Lutz Baumann, chairman of the German Pegida movement criticising Islam, arrived in Prague to support the anti-migration demonstration. The participants welcomed him with a stormy applause and chanting.
“All European patriots must cooperate now to be able to face this threat. We are strong and we will manage it,” Baumann said.
Participants in a mass demonstration in Brno carried banners with slogans against immigration, the refugee quotas, the EU migration policy and the alleged Islamisation of Europe.
“The event is to point out an immense danger that the wave of Islamist migrants poses to Europe,” Bloc against Islam spokesman David Stepan told CTK.
Some MPs for the Dawn-National Coalition want to try to push through changes in the asylum law which could help improve the situation, he added.
Brno Mayor Petra Vokral (ANO) called it unacceptable to hold such a demonstration on the day of the national holiday. However, it is not possible to ban similar events, he added.
Some 500 people came to a similar meeting in Ostrava. The main speaker was Bloc Against Islam representative Martin Konvicka. No incidents occurred.
In Usti nad Labem, about 400 people met. One of them carried a flag with the inscription “National Resistance,” an unregistered neo-Nazi organisation. Apart from representatives of the organising nationalist groups, Usti senator Jaroslav Doubrava (North Bohemians) appeared on the stage. The police were monitoring the demonstration, but did not interfere.
About 350 people participated in a demonstration against Islamisation of Europe and for a referendum on departure from the EU in Liberec, north Bohemia. The main speaker was MP Tomio Okamura, chairman of the Freedom and Direct Democracy party. A demonstration of some 40 people in support of refugees was held simultaneously.
The Workers’ Party of Social Justice (DSSS), successor to the outlawed Workers’ Party (DS), staged a meeting for the Czech Republic’s sovereignty and departure from EU and against migration in Vetrni, south Bohemia. Several dozens of people attended it, according to the police.
Most of yesterday’s rallies ended without major incidents at about 16:00.
