Prague police intervene in climate change protests, road blocks

Prague, Oct 11 (CTK) – More than 20 activists of the Extinction Rebellion global environmental movement were shortly blocking a road in Prague 10 at 8:30 today and the police intervened.

The organisers originally planned a seven-minute blockade at the crossroad of Vrsovicka, U Slavie and Belocerkevska streets, but a riot police unit pushed the activists from the road and checked their IDs.

The incident provoked verbal clashes between the drivers and protesters.

The movement plans further road blockades at 17:00 today and on Saturday.

The Extinction Rebellion (XR) demands the declaration of a state of climate emergency, carbon neutrality in Europe by 2025 and the approval of legally binding civic assemblies for citizens to take part in the decision-making on vital issues.

The organisation, which has more than one million active supporters all over the world, claims that the human race faces extinction due to climate change and that civil disobedience events are to make politicians and the public act immediately.

Environmental activists opened their “Climate improvised TV studio” outside the news building of the Czech Television (CT) public broadcaster at 11:00 today. They say they do not want to express criticism of CT, but support its more intensive reporting on climate crisis. They called on CT not to give so much space to voices denying climate change.

In the afternoon, the activists will protest outside the CEZ state-controlled power utility’s headquarters and on Old Town Square in Prague. Their Saturday rally is to be held on Wenceslas Square.

Some 40 people took part in another Extinction Rebellion meeting staged on Republic Square in Prague centre on Friday afternoon, warning of climate crisis and global warming.

The XR activists have been protesting in world cities, such as Berlin, London, Paris and in Australia, since the beginning of this week.

The movement’s Czech branch pointed to the climate crisis by hanging clothes at some 20 places in Prague previously. It also staged a demonstration outside the Government Office during a meeting of the commission dealing with the coal burning reduction last week.

Some smaller XR events took place in the regions this week.

hol/dr/kva,bas