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Prague City Hall has approved two conflicting events to take place simultaneously on the relatively small Štvanice Island. On Sunday, the island will host an Israeli culture festival titled Israel on the Vltava, while at the same time a protest against Israel’s policies towards Palestinians will occur nearby.
The decision comes after the city initially requested the protest organizers move their demonstration to a different location, specifically in front of the Israeli embassy. However, the organizers declined, insisting the protest’s message would be better conveyed adjacent to the festival. As a result, city officials imposed strict regulations to minimize disruption and ensure public safety.
Cultural celebration and political protest
The Israel on the Vltava festival is designed to showcase Israeli culture through a day-long program of activities for both children and adults, hosted on city-leased grounds in the eastern part of Štvanice Island near the pedestrian bridge connecting Holešovice and Karlín.
The festival aims to present Israeli culture in a non-political context, offering cultural exhibitions, workshops, and family-friendly entertainment that includes music, food, and art. Organizers emphasize that the event is intended as a cultural celebration, focusing on fostering understanding and appreciation.
In direct contrast, the protest organized by the group Friends of Palestine, titled Festival of Genocide on the Vltava, is explicitly political. The organizers have labeled the Israeli cultural festival a “festival of genocide” and intend their demonstration to voice opposition to what they describe as Israel’s apartheid policies and military actions against Palestinians.
They view their protest as a necessary response to counter what they consider propaganda and the normalization of Israeli state policies through cultural events. The starkly opposing nature of these events has heightened tensions around the planned activities.
City conditions and police preparations
Given the sensitive nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the potential for tensions to escalate, the city has imposed several conditions on the protest’s conduct. The demonstration must maintain a minimum distance of 100 meters from the festival’s fenced area, and it is prohibited from obstructing festival visitors or supply deliveries.
Additionally, the protest may not use amplified sound or devices that could disrupt the festival atmosphere. Organizers were explicitly warned against any forms of protest that could shock or harm children, who are expected to attend the family-friendly festival.
Officials reserved the right to intervene, including altering the protest’s location if necessary. Prague police have prepared security measures to monitor both events before, during, and after their scheduled times.
While details about the specific units involved were not disclosed, police spokesperson Jan Rybanský stated that standard public order monitoring will be in place, with no special riot units planned unless the situation escalates.
