Prague restaurant re-opens in protest of Czech lockdown measures

A restaurant in Prague's Kunratice district opened to guests on Thursday and Friday despite the current government ban on operations, police spokesman Jan Rybansky announced on their website.

On Thursday, police were called to the restuarant and found 13 people inside, imposing a total of 4,000 crowns in fines on them.

The owner of Šeberák restaurant, Jakub Olbert, announced his intentions to reopen the establishment on Facebook.

"I apologise to all who are convinced that our restaurant services pose a flu transmission risk," Olbert wrote.

"I cannot wait any longer. I hoped that my representatives knew what they were doing. But this is not the case."

Health Minister Jan Blatný (for ANO) criticized the restaurant opening, tweeting that he considered it a slap in the face to all decent people who are observing the measures and helping fight the current epidemic.

Olbert told iDNES.cz that he would open his restaurant again on Friday.

"We will keep it open on Friday as well. The police will probably arrest me, but I want to have it open," he told the server.

He added that he would presumably sue the Czech Republic if his restaurant were closed again.

Olbert announced on Facebook late on Friday that the second day of the re-opening would be the last; police informed him the next time they returned it would be with arrest warrants.

"We were unequivocally informed by the police of the Czech Republic that their next visit would be with an arrest warrant," Olbert wrote.

"That is why I am closing today. Tomorrow we will be here again for you, but as a takeaway window. I think we have already sent the message and we cannot struggle indefinitely with the police."

In the wake of Šeberák's re-opening, others have planned to do the same this weekend, including Restart Bar in Uherský Brod, reports iDnes.cz. Blatný is not impressed.

"Thanks to these unscrupulous people, restrictive measures will be put in place for longer," Blatný writes.

"It's just a mockery of honest people. I hope that these people will be sanctioned."