At least 100 000 people came on Saturday 21st of April to Prague to join the demonstration called "Stop Government", convened by the same name coalition of labour unions and several civic initiatives. The demonstration was undoubtedly the largest public display of discontent in the last 20 years. The anarchists couldn´t miss.

There is probably no point in breaking down too much detail - what the course of Saturday's demonstration was, who participated, who gave a speech or what the reaction of each government official was. Most of this information can be found in news of mainstream media or on the website of the organizing associations.

Let´s just briefly say the whole event started at ten o'clock in the morning with gathering of participants around the House of Unions in Zizkov (part of Prague). There was a snack and information stalls of some of the organizing associations and trade unions prepared for the incoming people. Before the noon, the head of the parade was formed by individual unions, as was planned in advance. Members of one of the strongest unions – KOVO marched at the head. The march itself seemed endless. Protesters filled more than half of Wenceslas Square. Estimates of the number of participants range from 80 to 120 thousand. The event was clear demonstration of popular discontent with the current government, its work and reforms.

The protest was also joined by the Czechoslovak Anarchist Federation, which issued a call to the anarchists to participate: “We join this the protest and critic but we also want to add our protest and critic, which shows on the roots of the system which prefers short-term profit of elite to long–term prospects of the whole society. We want to talk about the principles of capitalist system, principles which are contrary to the true democracy. We want to show that our vision does not end by changing the government, but goes further, goes to the human and society emancipation, to realizing the common power.”

Before the event itself, some of us participated on information campaigns in their respective regions in cooperation with the ProAlt initiative and unions. During these days of protest we were promoting the demonstration "Stop government" but also May Day action days, which will take place in Prague from 27th of April and will culminate with demonstration on May Day in Prague.

Several dozen anarchists gathered on Saturday on the demonstration "Stop government”. The anarchists either join the informal anarchist block or marched within blocks of unions together with their colleagues. Thousand issues of anarchist magazine ZDOLA (From bellow), hundreds of A-kontra journals as well as new and old issues of the anarchist revue Existence, were distributed even before the march. There were also a large number of leaflets inviting to the May Day action days or leaflets of anarchist group Anarchocommunist alternative and Collectively against capital.

Spontaneous anarchist bloc walked next to the bloc of ProAlt initiative, while its head was formed by the banner "Aim at the right targets" which was also an invitation to the previously mentioned May Day demonstration.

Ideas of anarchism are not generally known or widespread, as it showed during the demonstration at times when some unionists or discontented citizens found themselves near the anti-authoritarian block. These participants seemed to be surprised by some of the anarchist slogans. Apparently they believe (which no one can blame) that representative democracy is the only fair social system. However, they showed interest in the anti-authoritarian printed materials and even expressed their sympathy to the anarchist bloc on few occasions. Our participation in the demonstration contributed among other things to the spreading of anarchist ideas among people who understand the need of change of the current system, but have not been actively seeking any alternatives yet.

The reaction of government officials was predictable. Finance Minister Kalousek, in response to the anger of hundred thousand ordinary people in the streets of Prague, smugly said that if it was up to him, reforms and cuts would be much harder. The government has no problem discussing with unions to, though they will not take any remarks into account at all.

It is clear that union demonstration once in a while, no matter how big, will not hit the government and so there is no reason to fear such a vote, because the government is in fact in no danger.

This is a fact which we point out for a long time. Hopefully, it will be understood by as many people, who will cross the boundary of their passivity and begin to think about more effective forms of protest and resistance. Resistance, which will be noticeable and which the elites can no longer ignore. Resistance, which also opens the door for finding and realizing alternatives from below.

Czech reportage and photos: Demonstrace nespokojenosti