"Don't give fascists a chance" - several hundred anarchists march through Prague on 1 May

The marchers, waving both black-and-red and Palestinian flags, proceeded to Štvanice island, where the event continued with live music. Police accompanied the march, managing traffic along the way.

At the front of the anarchist parade was a banner reading “Make Fascists Afraid Again”, a paraphrase of US President Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan. Along the sides were other banners reading, for instance, “Against the politics of fear – right-wing populism is no alternative”, “Don’t give fascists a chance”, and “Luxury for all. Warmth, comfort, expropriate the oligarchy”.

The march was accompanied by an automobile with a sound system. Along with the loud music, marchers shouted slogans against the state, against capitalism, against fascism, and for a free Palestine.

Police in one of the vehicles accompanying them told the marchers that there is a ban on covering one’s face during a public assembly and a ban on using fireworks. The announcement was made after a smoke bomb was thrown into the street.

Smoke from such devices occurred during the march several more times despite the warning. The anarchists took an hour to reach Štvanice, marching down Národní třída and Na Příkopě to náměstí Republiky and then down Na Poříčí to the main road at the Hlávkov Bridge.

Both native Praguers and tourists took interest in the parade, filming or photographing it with their mobile phones. At the starting point, Střelecký ostrov, anarchists brought refreshments and sat or stood around on the lawn.

Those interested could also buy anarchist publications there. Speakers stressed, for instance, that despite all the other problems in the world, climate change must not be forgotten about, then commemorated the 30th anniversary of the Anarchist Federation (AF).

“Anarchist principles are our compass”, a representative of the AF said. According to him, such principles guarantee the anarchists will not end up in ideological dogma or stagnation.

The invitation to the anarchist 1 May event included objections to the “fascists” who “have not just been brandishing their antlers for a long time now, but have also penetrated all levels of politics.” The invitation read: “We’re in the era of bullshit, of wars, of genocides, of limitations on rights, of climate crisis, and of growing authoritarianism. In this era, the outlook for freedom, equality, and solidarity is worse than ever before – and exactly for that reason it is all the more necessary to defend the values they are based on and defend ourselves.”

Before the anarchists arrived on Střelecký ostrov, left-wing party representatives had alternated in paying their respects at the memorial plaque there to the first labor celebration of 1 May in Prague in 1890. Communists, Czech Sovereignty Social Democracy, and the Social Democrats (SOCDEM) all paid visits to the memorial.

SOCDEM head Maláčová objects to wage levels at Labor Day celebration

SOCDEM chair Jana Maláčová objected to wage levels and blamed the current coalition government of Petr Fiala (Civic Democratic Party – ODS) for the state of the economy. She said the “great shame” of the cabinet is that people, according to her, are counting every last crown after paying their bills until their next payday.

“It’s started to be normal that people have begun going to pick up their welfare after work,” the SOCDEM chair said. The party promises in its electoral program to increase tax breaks so that employees will have CZK 1,000 [EUR 40] per month more in their take-home pay each month.

If elected, SOCDEM plans more vigorous growth for the minimum wage, which is currently CZK 20,800 [EUR 835] per month. They want to increase it to CZK 31,000 [EUR 1,244] by 2028, which would create pressure to raise all other wages.

Maláčová told the press that SOCDEM’s newly adopted electoral program has roughly 400 points to it. She said the party will be presenting their program over the next few weeks.

The SOCDEM chair said they will not publicize how they plan to run in the autumn elections until the beginning of June. Social Democratic Youth also assembled at the memorial plaque.

That youth wing of the SOCDEM party left signs by the plaque reading that it would be possible to build 5,000 apartments for the cost of the F-35 fighter jets the Army is buying, and for the price of two such aircraft it would be possible to pay a “13th pension” of CZK 10,000 [EUR 400] annually. SOCDEM later organized a “happening” during which they criticized Fiala’s cabinet.

SOCDEM Vice-Chair Lubomír Zaorálek posed with a mock-up of a purple cow and the slogan “Don’t believe Fiala’s bullshit!” [Translator’s Note: “Fiala” means “violet” in Czech]. The cow is meant to be displayed in the People’s House, SOCDEM headquarters, where they say Fiala should come get it.

If the PM does not come for the cow, SOCDEM plans to bring it to the Office of the Government.

Communists’ 1 May event in Prague speaks of a “right-wing reign of terror”

At the 1 May event of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM) on Prague’s Střelecký ostrov, criticism of the current coalition government of Petr Fiala (ODS) was predominant. The party’s leading candidate in Prague for the lower house elections, Petra Prokšanová, called the current cabinet anti-social and a “right-wing reign of terror”.

The event was counter-protested by people with banners reading that the Stačilo! (Enough!) movement, which includes the KSČM for the upcoming elections, is “totally loyal to the Kremlin” and that “Real patriots don’t back the Kremlin”. In her speech to several dozen KSČM supporters, most of whom were senior citizens, Prokšanová said: “Those ruling us today cannot be called anything other than a right-wing reign of terror. This is a Government that is normalizing war, normalizing violence and the militarization of society. This is a Government of social cuts and beggaring working people.”

Prokšanová also attacked the current opposition as “impotent”. According to her, the lower house elections this year will decide whether working people will be represented there or not, “Otherwise another four years are in store for us of the destruction of social security, rising prices, real wages falling, and being haunted by war,” she said.

Some communists held red flags at the memorial. “Peace, work, a dignified life for all are what bring us together,” said the chair of the Prague cell of the KSČM, Marta Semelová.

Semelová addressed those attending the event with the traditional communist designation of “comrades” and said goodbye with the slogan “Honor to Labor”.