Prague protest: crowd tries to storm the Chamber of Deputies

Several dozen protesters tried to force their way into the Chamber of Deputies building in Prague, but members of the Special Police Unit stopped them. According to police spokeswoman Eva Kropáčová, no one was detained and the situation was calmed.

Since Friday, a rally against abolishing the licence fees for Czech Television and Czech Radio has been under way on Malostranské náměstí next to the parliament building, with hundreds of people taking part. Some of those gathered approached the doors and windows of the Chamber of Deputies and chanted slogans such as “We are fed up with this”, and also called on Culture Minister Oto Klempíř: “Oto, come out” and “We pay you with our taxes”. It was Klempíř who prepared the abolition of the fees, agreed by the governing coalition.

According to Czech Television, several demonstrators got into an argument with MP Jaroslav Foldyna (SPD), who came out to the building; police had to separate them.

On Friday evening, the Chamber of Deputies began debating a bill changing the funding of Czech Television and Czech Radio, which abolishes the licence fees. At the coalition's proposal, it is to be approved overnight into Saturday. The opposition and the protesters criticise not only the idea itself, suspecting the government of trying to curb media independence, but also the way the bill was placed on the agenda: SPD caucus chairman Radim Fiala unexpectedly proposed on Friday that it be taken out of turn.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz