Thousands of people gathered in the center of Prague to protest the invasion of Ukraine
Updates: 02/24/2022 21:58
Released: 24.02.2022, 20:23
Prague – Thousands of people gathered in Prague’s Wenceslas Square in the early evening to protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Demonstration Prague is behind Ukraine! organized by the Czech and Ukrainian community with the support of the Million Moments movement. About a hundred people protested against the war in the square in the early afternoon, and people also met at the Russian embassy in Korunovační Street. This morning, the Russian army launched an air and ground attack on Ukraine. The aggression was condemned by world and Czech politicians. The number of participants in today’s protest in front of the Russian mbasada in Prague increased to several hundred. At around 6.30 pm, people who had previously demonstrated against the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Wenceslas Square came to the embassy.
The protest in the square began around 17:00. According to an estimate by the police, about 3,000 people took part in it after half an hour, police spokesman Jan Daněk told ČTK. People had banners with Putin in front of an international tribunal, Stop Putin’s crime or Ukraine, we won’t bring them, Ivan. They also brought Ukrainian, Czech and Slovak flags. The event was attended mainly by young people, including Ukrainians.
Protesters shouted the slogan Glory to Ukraine or a vulgar shout in Ukrainian about Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to the ČTK reporter, the protesters filled the upper part of the square, the police had to close it for traffic.
Several speakers spoke at the protest, condemning the Russian attack on Ukraine and providing support to the Ukrainians. Representatives of Belarusians living in the Czech Republic also provided solidarity with Ukraine. “Russia is making a big historical mistake, wrongdoing and injustice that cannot be excused,” a Belarusian representative said at the demonstration. According to her, it is inadmissible that Belarus is involved in the conflict. The situation confirms that President Alexander Lukashenko does not represent the will of the Belarusian people, she said.
The mayor of Prague, Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates), also spoke at the event, reminding him that the Prague City Council provided support to Ukraine and approved ten million crowns of the non-profit organization People in Need to help Ukraine.
At the end of the demonstration, the protesters held hands to symbolize that the Ukrainians were not left alone. The protest was then ended by the Ukrainian anthem. The event lasted less than an hour, but there were still crowds of people standing in the square. According to Danek, the police did not record any incidents related to the demonstrations.
Putin announced today on television that he had given permission for a special military operation in the Ukrainian Donbas, after which witnesses from a number of cities across Ukraine began to report strong explosions or sounds sounding like artillery fire. The Ukrainian border guard said that Russian forces had attacked the Ukrainian border from Russia, Belarus and the annexed Crimean peninsula. Moscow’s actions condemned the Western people and promised harsh sanctions against Moscow. Czech politicians, including President Miloš Zeman, also opposed the attack on Ukraine.
The Minister of the Interior Vít Rakušan (STAN) stated that Ukrainians in the Czech Republic can count on the extension of their residence permit. According to him, the Czechia also has plans to receive thousands of refugees. Relatives of people who are already in the Czech Republic can come without hindrance only with a passport. Other procedures or applications for longer stays will be resolved in the Czech territory. Deportation will also be suspended.
Hundreds of people are protesting through the Russian embassy in Prague
The number of participants in today’s protest in front of the Russian mbasada in Prague increased to several hundred. At around 6.30 pm, people who had previously demonstrated against the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Wenceslas Square came to the embassy. Protesters in front of the embassy in the early evening support the Prayer for Ukraine initiative. The protest has so far gone unscathed. The solidarity event is also scheduled for 19:00 in front of the Embassy of Ukraine.
The Prayer for Ukraine initiative, led by evangelical priest Tomas Trusina, provided solidarity with Ukraine and opposition to the Russian invasion. The audience listened to Karel Kryl’s brother Bratříčka, close the gates and sang the Czech anthem.
Those present, most of whom are Ukrainians, have yellow-blue national flags and a transparently condemning roller. In addition to milder texts, such as God, protect Ukraine, there are also sharper inscriptions such as Good Putin, Dead Putin. Several speakers took turns at the microphone, and extended speeches were mostly ended by the greeting Glory to Ukraine – Glory to the Heroes. This is a Ukrainian national greeting and slogan.
Motto Glory Ukraine first appeared during the Ukrainian War of Independence from 1917 to 1921. Greetings Glory to Ukraine! began to use the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army headed by Stepan Bandera. There was also music and the audience sang the Ukrainian anthem. With the support of citizens in Ukraine and several Russian citizens, she demonstrated problems with a number of passing cars.
The protest in front of the Russian embassy has so far gone without a fight. In the morning, one of the protesters began calling for “Public Safety” and the other accused the police of protecting the Russian embassy. Shortly before noon, police overseeing the action withheld two protests over splashing a small part of the building in red.
The demonstration started in the morning, around 10:00 there were several people at the embassy in Korunovační Street with the flags of the European Union and a little more of them gathered in the adjacent Boris Němcov Square. Protesters, including Czechs and foreigners, placed a banner in front of the embassy calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a murderer.
The Russian army launched an air and ground attack on Ukraine this morning. Putin announced in a television appearance that he had given permission for a special military operation in the Ukrainian Donbas. The Ukrainian Border Guard then said that Russian forces had invaded Ukraine’s border from Russia, Belarus and the annexed Crimean peninsula. Moscow’s actions condemned the Western people and promised harsh sanctions against Moscow.
