Thousands join Prague’s March for Life as police restrictions and abortion rights activists clash over access and message.
Newsroom (16/04/2026 Gaudium Press ) Thousands of pro-life demonstrators filled the streets of Prague last Saturday during the Czech Republic’s annual March for Life, an event that this year unfolded under tight police restrictions and the vocal presence of abortion rights activists. Organizers said access limitations around Wenceslas Square, the march’s traditional endpoint, hampered turnout significantly.
The day’s events began with a mass at St. Vitus Cathedral, where approximately 2,000 worshippers gathered before joining the procession through the city. In his homily, Archbishop Emeritus of Prague Jan Graubner called for spiritual renewal centered on family life, warning that “the path to the rebirth of the Church and society is not possible without the rebirth of families.”
Graubner urged citizens to embrace a culture rooted in love, inner freedom, and forgiveness — a vision, he said, that contrasts sharply with an increasingly self-centered modern outlook. “Some consider themselves the center and apex of everything,” he said, describing how isolation and lack of compassion “create barriers” and “cause poverty because there is a lack of love that can divide.” The absence of love, Graubner continued, “threatens peace” and even leads to despair when “the disillusioned person experiences they are not the omnipotent god they imagined.”
As the march began, pro-abortion protesters lined parts of the route, chanting slogans and accusing participants of denying women’s rights. Police arrested five individuals but reported no serious incidents. Organizers, recalling last year’s protest disruption, altered the route into separate smaller groups to avoid confrontation.
Traditionally, participation doubles as the procession reaches Wenceslas Square, one of Prague’s most prominent public spaces. This year, however, police erected barriers, allowing only those who insisted on entry to pass. The restrictions made access especially difficult for families with children. Attendance figures were thus tough to determine, though witnesses described the square as notably less crowded than in previous years.
Hnutí Pro život ČR (Movement for Life of the Czech Republic), which leads the annual event, criticized the police for hindering public access and announced plans to file a formal complaint. “The local police leadership prevented a public demonstration to which the public is entitled,” the organization told EWTN News. It noted that the march is meant to support women coping with unexpected pregnancies and emphasized its openness to dialogue: “We welcome among us even those who have a different view.”
The organizing group also accused authorities of lacking “political will” to ensure safety by blocking access for participants, allowing “radicals to act freely and intimidate” marchers.
In response, the Czech Republic Police press office said it had “no information to suggest that the police officers acted inappropriately.” The Prague Regional Police Directorate did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
Despite the obstacles, the March for Life went forward peacefully. For many attendees, it symbolized an enduring conviction that moral renewal begins at home — and that the conversation around life, faith, and personal responsibility still runs deep in the heart of Prague.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from ACI Digital
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