On Sunday, approximately 4,000 people gathered on Wenceslas Square in Prague, and later made their way through the city to protest vaccine mandates. Police urged the crowd to abide by anti-pandemic rules, but participants booed them off.
The protesters demonstrated against compulsory vaccination and restrictions on civil liberties. Many refused to wear face masks or maintain 2-meter social distancing distance.
“We are not against voluntary vaccination. We are only against compulsory vaccination, which the government is trying to enact here with the support of the Czech Parliament,” claimed the protest organizers.
The crowd of demonstrators headed to the Office of the Government. Then, they continued to Prague Castle, where the Office of the President of the Republic is situated. The protesters symbolically ended the event in front of the local statue of the first Czechoslovak president, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk.
Police detained one person on suspicion of allegedly damaging cars.
The organizers are planning another protest in the capital on Dec. 31. They say their purpose is to give people hope and faith in the year 2022.
