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Summary for: Czech students and National Theatre actors declare strike alertsCzech students and unions representing the National Theatre’s drama company declared strike alerts Tuesday, broadening opposition to the government’s planned overhaul of public media funding.
Hundreds of students gathered in Prague, Ostrava and other cities to support Czech Television and Czech Radio. That evening, National Theatre drama representatives announced their strike readiness from the stage after a performance of Hamlet in the theater’s historic Prague building.
The declarations signal readiness for possible action rather than an immediate shutdown of teaching or performances. Employees of Czech Television and Czech Radio have separately announced an all-day strike for Nov. 3.
Students mobilize across universities
In Prague, the academic community at the Academy of Performing Arts’ Theatre Faculty, DAMU, declared an indefinite strike alert, citing concerns about the independence of culture and public service media.
Students at Charles University’s Faculty of Social Sciences and the Film and TV School, FAMU, subsequently joined, along with unions at the Academy of Performing Arts.
Hundreds also gathered outside the Czech Technical University’s Faculty of Civil Engineering to express support for independent public broadcasting.
In Brno, the student initiative Média nedáme MUNI declared strike readiness at Masaryk University. A separate Student Solidarity Committee called a Wednesday gathering on náměstí Svobody supporting the broadcasters’ planned strike.
Ostrava University’s student academic senate chamber also announced a strike alert. Students there said they would attend a Nov. 3 gathering on Jiráskovo náměstí.
Further demonstrations drew hundreds in Hradec Králové, Pardubice and Liberec. Many participants wore folded newspaper hats resembling the one worn by the Czech television character Večerníček, which has become a symbol of the protests.
Actors broaden demands to cultural policy
The National Theatre drama unions explicitly aligned themselves with the students. The Czech Actors’ Association backed their demands and strike alert, its president, Ondřej Kepka, told ČTK.
Alongside withdrawal of the media funding proposal, the unions demanded Culture Minister Oto Klempíř’s resignation.
Their statement also opposed changes to ministry grants, proposed cuts affecting the State Audiovisual Fund, the selection process for a new National Gallery Prague director and the proposed State Cultural Policy.
The dispute follows Saturday’s 4:36 a.m. parliamentary vote advancing the media funding bill through its first reading. The proposal would replace television and radio license fees with state-budget financing while reducing the broadcasters’ funding.
Critics argue that the change would weaken editorial independence. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš says legally guaranteed funding would instead provide greater certainty, stability and independence.
Klempíř has defended state-budget financing as a common European model and rejected allegations that it threatens democracy or media independence.
The bill remains under parliamentary consideration. Further protests are planned, including a Nov. 15 gathering on Prague’s Letná Plain.
