Thousands to march against global impact of Trump policies Friday in Prague

A major protest against U.S. President Donald Trump and his political influence is set to take place this Friday in Prague’s Malá Strana district.

Organized by the civic movement Million Moments for Democracy (Million Chvilek pro Demokracii), the rally aims to oppose Trump’s stance on Ukraine and his ties to Vladimir Putin as concerns over Trump-aligned politics rise in Czechia.

Similar protests have been held outside the U.S. Embassy, marking the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Trump’s policies have affected Czechia in several ways, including reducing funding for organizations supporting women’s rights and putting pressure on local media outlets like Radio Free Europe.

These issues, among others, have spurred concerns within Czech communities and among internationals.

The Million Moments for Democracy movement has stated that the protest aims to keep Trump-inspired politicians out of the Czech government. It is calling on internationals in Czechia to join what is expected to be thousands of protestors convening in the city’s historic Lesser Quarter.

“We hope a lot of diverse groups come to the protest on Friday,” media communications manager of Million Moments Štěpán Svoboda told Expats.cz, sharing his expectations that around 2,000 people will attend the demonstration.

He’s hoping—and expecting—foreigners from universities, the labor force, and other expat communities to join in substantial numbers, as “current international developments ultimately affect all of our lives.” Over 10,000 Americans live in Czechia, and many of them are appalled at current events across the Atlantic.

“We are also in contact with Generation from Ukraine [an NGO], who are helping us with the organization,” Svoboda told Expats.cz.

Indeed, President Donald Trump’s recent actions—not least today’s announcement that he may deport hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees from the U.S.—have unsettled many people from Ukraine living here.

While some argue that protesting against a foreign leader’s policies has limited impact, Svoboda disagrees, emphasizing the value of standing up for your beliefs. “It’s always worth taking a stand if you feel strongly about something,” he says, adding that Friday’s protest will “send a strong signal that everything going on is absolutely not OK.”

"Trump’s statements and policies must not be viewed as ‘normal’. Their inherent destructive and oppressive manner needs to be pointed out to serve as a bad example to Europe’s political elites," Svoboda told Expats.cz.

Svoboda also adds: "Unfortunately, several prominent figures have given hints and public statements signaling that they are ready to draw inspiration from Trump’s policies. We consider this trend to be a potential threat to Czech - and European - democracy, and it is one of the main reasons why we have decided to initiate tomorrow’s rally."

Svoboda also looks to Czechia’s upcoming parliamentary elections in October, where opposition leader Andrej Babiš, former Prime Minister, is expected to perform strongly.

Million Moments has routinely highlighted—and protested against—Babiš’s alleged corruption and wrongdoings in the past. As a leader whose political style has often been compared to Trump’s, Babiš’s potential return to power worries many. “We are ready to do whatever is necessary—to get out and protest—against Babiš,” Svoboda tells Expats.cz.

For Svoboda, protests are an indicator of a society’s current mood and sentiment. Right now, he says, it is certainly bleak. “We are firmly on the side of Ukraine and European peace,” he adds. Friday’s protest aims to unite people to help achieve this aim in a current state of division.