Hundreds to two thousand people gathered at Náměstí Míru in Plzeň on 28 October 2026 in support of public service media.
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On Wednesday, 28 October 2026, a demonstration took place at Náměstí Míru in Plzeň in support of public service media and against the plan to fund Czech Television and Czech Radio directly from the state budget. According to Plzeňská Drbna, hundreds of people gathered; an organiser from the Plzeň network Prohnutí estimated their number at two thousand.[1][2] The event lasted about ninety minutes and, according to Deník, passed without incidents in rainy weather.[2]
Representatives of the association Million Moments for Democracy, students of the University of West Bohemia, theatre people including representatives of the Josef Kajetán Tyl Theatre and the Divadlo Alfa, and an actor of the National Theatre spoke on the stage. A message from representatives of Czech Television and Czech Radio was also read out.[1][2] People came with paper caps of the television Večerníček, which have become a symbol of the protests, with state flags and with banners, some of which demanded the resignation of the government. The protest ended with the state anthem.[2]
Representatives of the Josef Kajetán Tyl Theatre recalled the pressure that, in their view, members of the Association of Independent Theatres face after criticism by Minister of Culture Ota Klempíř (Motoristé sobě), and mentioned inspections by the ministry. Roman Černík, director of the cultural centre Moving Station, said of the inspection of his facility that it seems “harassing” to him.[1]
The gathering followed the events of the night to Saturday, 24 October 2026, when the governing coalition of ANO, SPD and Motoristé sobě sent to the second reading in the Chamber of Deputies a bill abolishing the radio and television licence fee and moving the funding of Czech Television and Czech Radio to the state budget. The opposition regards the bill as an attack on the independence of public service media; according to government politicians, their independence is not threatened.[1][2]
Related articles: Czech Television, Plzeň
Chronology
- — Hundreds to two thousand people demonstrated on Náměstí Míru in Plzeň in support of public broadcasting and against a plan to fund Czech Television and Czech Radio directly from the state budget. Plzeňská Drbna Deník: Plzeňský kraj
Sources
- Plzeňská Drbna — 28 October 2026
- Deník: Plzeňský kraj