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Tensions over abortion rights flared in Prague this weekend as pro-choice activists blocked the annual March for Life, preventing the pro-life demonstration from reaching its planned destination at Wenceslas Square.
Several hundred people from both camps gathered Saturday, with police arresting about 30 pro-choice demonstrators who sat across Kaprova Street in a nonviolent blockade. No major clashes were reported.
The March for Life, organized by the Movement for Life, began with a morning mass at St. Vitus Cathedral and attracted mainly families carrying banners with slogans like “We Do Not Judge, We Help.” Opponents rallied with messages supporting reproductive rights, including "My Body, My Choice," linking the local protest to a growing European debate.
A statement released by the Archdiocese of Prague on Monday confirmed that the annual march ended in disruption: “As every year, this year’s event was not without protests from opponents. For this reason, the March for Life was ended prematurely.”
Abortion legal, but challenges and stigma remain
The events in Prague coincide with renewed calls from domestic organizations such as Konsent and the A.S.A.P. (Abortion Support Alliance Prague) to secure stronger legal guarantees for abortion rights in the Czech Republic.
In Czechia, abortion remains legal but challenging for non-EU nationals, who often face administrative hurdles, inconsistent access, and high out-of-pocket costs. Additionally, medical abortion is only available up to 7-8 weeks, restricting women's choices.
Advocates emphasize that while abortion is currently accessible, it remains vulnerable without constitutional protection.
Women’s rights groups stress the increasing need for policy reforms and more inclusive healthcare services. Despite Czechia’s relatively liberal laws, they argue that gaps in access and persistent stigma reveal the urgent need for further change.
Jolanta Nowaczyk, co-founder of the A.S.A.P collective, highlights these challenges, citing a recent instance where a major outdoor advertising company rejected ads for the collective’s new website.
The website offers information on pharmacological and surgical abortion options, as well as potential complications, in Czech, English, Polish, and Ukrainian. The company refused the ads, claiming they promoted behavior harmful to health, “especially to the fetus.”
Czech debate reflects broader European shift
The Czech debate mirrors broader shifts in Europe, where movements both for and against abortion rights have gained momentum.
In neighboring Poland, tighter abortion restrictions have prompted international criticism and increased cross-border travel for the procedure. Developments in the U.S., where federal abortion rights were overturned, have further energized advocacy groups across Europe.
This weekend's protests comes as the citizens' initiative My Voice, My Choice surpassed 1.2 million signatures across 19 EU countries, demanding that the European Commission propose financial support for abortion access in member states. Organizers stress that financial and legal barriers disproportionately affect marginalized communities.
On Friday, a separate memorial event in Prague's Palackého Square honored women worldwide who died from lack of safe abortion access, featuring 186 symbolic clothing packages—one for each daily death globally.
