14:08 Farmers’ demonstration ends
Farmers with their equipment depart from the area in front of the Strakova Academy and from the gathering place on the Letenská plain.
13:43 There was a traffic accident involving a tractor and a car in the Letensky tunnel
There were no injuries in the incident, according to the Prague fire department.
13:07 Doležal and Pýcha: The government does not defend the interests of Czech farmers and does not fulfill its promises
The President of the Agrarian Chamber, Jan Doležal, and the Chairman of the Agricultural Union, Martin Pýcha, repeated today at a demonstration in front of the government office in Prague that the government does not defend the interests of Czech farmers and does not fulfill its promises. According to them, domestic agriculture is in a critical state and farmers have nowhere to retreat.
12:40 A demonstration of disgruntled farmers began at noon in front of the government office in Prague
A demonstration of disgruntled farmers began at noon in front of the government office in Prague and is expected to last until 1:30 p.m. According to an estimate, there are several hundred people at the venue, the national anthem was played at the beginning. The Agrarian Chamber estimates that about 1,000 pieces of agricultural machinery and approximately 4,000 people arrived in Prague today to protest against national politics.
12:15 The Agrarian Chamber did not distance itself from dumping manure in front of the government office
“The dumping of manure in front of the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic was not part of the official script of the protest. Although we apologize to the police and ask for their understanding, we certainly do not distance ourselves from this step,” said AK.
12:11 Fiala: The government will not yield to the pressure of farmers, the protest is blackmail
According to Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS), the government will not give in to pressure from farmers. The Prime Minister called their protest today in Prague blackmail. The government is ready to deal with the farmers, but at the negotiating table. According to the prime minister, the agricultural sector has record profits. The Prime Minister told journalists today in Hradec Králové, where he was launching the construction of the Charles University campus.
12:07 Minister Výborný went among the protesters
People whistled at Výborný and shouted Demise or Výborný go to dung.
10:37 The entire government is aware of the seriousness of the situation in agriculture, Výborný said
According to Minister of Agriculture Marek Výborný (KDU-ČSL), the entire government is aware of the seriousness of the situation in agriculture. He regrets the statement of the Agrarian Chamber and the Agricultural Union that their expectations of support were not fulfilled. Even taking into account the possibilities of the state budget, it is not possible to comply with all requirements, said Výborný at a press conference in Prague. According to him, the Agrarian Chamber and the Agricultural Union do not provide complete information to their members. He repeated that he is ready to continue dealing with the farmers, but he will not accept ultimatums, he said.
10:31 Tractors continue to drive by the government office, there is still manure on the road
9:02 Minister Výborný considers the dumping of manure in front of the government office in Prague to be unfair
“I respect anyone’s right to protest and I am ready to go out and have a fair discussion among farmers. I also expect an honest approach from the organizers, who promised not to block traffic in Prague, including public transport. I don’t consider manure dumped on tram tracks to be such an approach,” Výborný said on the social network X.
8:03 The police arrested a driver who dumped manure on the road and tram tracks
“The driver who dumped the manure on the road was arrested and restricted in his personal freedom by police officers from the protective service. He is suspected of several offences,” the police said, adding that the manure also covered the tram tracks, which, among other things, complicated the city’s public transport.
7:51 Complications for cars
“Farmers dumped manure on the Edvard Beneš embankment and thus complicated public transport. The situation also complicates individual transport. The police are dealing with the matter and we urge motorists to avoid the area,” said the police. Farmers also unloaded bales of hay on the spot and blew their horns loudly under the windows of Straka’s academy. On tractors and other machines they had banners saying “Let’s save the Czech soil” or “Let’s stop the liquidation of Czech agriculture”.
7:40 a.m. 700 tractors went to Prague to protest farmers, 3,500 people participate
According to the estimate of the Agrarian Chamber, around 700 tractors and other equipment have taken to the streets of Prague for today’s farmers’ protest. Around 3,500 people are participating, said chamber spokeswoman Barbora Pánková. According to her, the largest participation is from the Pilsen Region, Vysočina and Central Bohemia Region. She added that AK estimates the total number of machines at 1,000 today, and up to 4,000 people could arrive.
7:11 The first scoop of manure in front of the government
The first agricultural machinery has already arrived in front of the seat of government. Directly in front of the main entrance to the Straka Academy, a tractor with a tow truck dumped manure and several bales of straw.
6:45 a.m. Tractors are supposed to be circling near the government
From approximately 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., the farmers plan to ride a circular route around Letenské sady, through the embankment of Edvard Beneš, Chotkovy sady and the streets of Milada Horáková, Veletržní, Dukelské hrdinů and further along the embankment to the government office. At noon, the demonstration will begin in front of the government headquarters, where Minister of Agriculture Marek Výborný (KDU-ČSL) wants to meet with the participants of today’s protest. He made it clear that he is ready to continue negotiating with the farmers about their demands, but he will not make decisions under ultimatums.
6:35 The convoy from Letňany was not late
The protest ride did not delay traffic in Letňany in any way, a column of agricultural machinery occupied one traffic lane, allowing other cars to pass. Some machines are decorated with Czech flags, and farmers have pasted posters summarizing the reasons for the protest on several tractors. Some tractors honked their horns along the way.
6:15 Tractors go to Letná
For example, about thirty tractors and other agricultural equipment set off from Letňany before 6:30 in the direction of Letná. Originally, the machines were supposed to line up in the parking lot at the shopping center. However, it was a private plot of land and the protesters did not have permission to park from OC Letňana, so security blocked their access to the parking lot. The vehicles lined up at the intersection and the first part of the tractors from Mladá Boleslav and the surrounding area left for Prague about half an hour earlier than originally planned.
6:01 a.m. Protesting farmers began to descend on Prague early in the morning
5:50 Protest columns from several directions
In several places on the border between Prague and the Central Bohemian region, protesting farmers with tractors and cars started coming down from different directions early in the morning. From the assembly points in Vestec, Jesenice, Letňany, Nová Ves near České Brod, Kněževs and Hostivica, they are to leave for the center of the capital after 06:00.