PRAGUE — Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated this Sunday in the capital of the Czech Republic against a government project to reform the public media funding system, warning that the initiative could weaken their independence, subject them to political pressure, and put press freedom at risk. The rally took place in Prague's Letná Park, an emblematic site of the mobilizations that in November 1989 drove the Velvet Revolution and ended more than four decades of communist rule. The protest was held two days before the anniversary of that uprising and was organized by the citizen movement A Million Moments for Democracy. Organizers estimated that some 350,000 people took part in the mobilization, a figure that, if confirmed, would make it one of the largest anti-government demonstrations in recent decades. According to Mikulas Minar, president of the organization, the turnout exceeded that of a protest of more than 200,000 people held in March and could become the largest gathering since 1989. "An elected government has the right to govern, but it does not have the right to do as it pleases or to dismantle democratic institutions," Minar told the crowd. "This is only a beginning," he added. People gather during a demonstration in support of public media and to protest the government's handling of legislation in parliament, in Prague, Czech Republic. Michal Turek - AP The core of the rejection is a project that eliminates the monthly fee of 205 Czech crowns (about $9.26) that households pay to fund public radio and television and transfers those resources to the state budget. The initiative also contemplates a reduction of around 15% in the funds currently received by the broadcasters, a cut that, according to their executives, could lead to layoffs, less content production, and the cancellation of programs. Critics argue that the new mechanism would leave public media more exposed to the government's budgetary decisions and, therefore, to political pressure. They also warn that the reform could replicate the model applied in Hungary under Viktor Orban's government, which promoted the creation of a network of media outlets aligned with power, and the changes promoted in Slovakia by Prime Minister Robert Fico. "We reject the Slovak scenario," read one of the banners displayed during the march. "Hands off the media," demanded another. Among the demonstrators were students, artists, media workers, retirees, and former dissidents who signed Charter 77, the document that in the 1970s denounced human rights violations under the communist regime. People demonstrate in support of public media and to protest the government's handling of legislation in parliament in Prague, Czech Republic, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Michal Turek) Michal Turek - AP The reform advanced in the lower house of Parliament on October 24, when the governing coalition limited the opposition's speaking time and got the bill through its first reading in a vote held at 4:36 in the morning. The accelerated procedure sparked strong criticism and new mobilizations. On November 3, public radio and television workers held a one-day strike that restricted broadcasts and received support from unions, universities, students, churches, and international media organizations. The concern also reached the European Parliament, where the situation of press freedom and the rule of law in the Czech Republic was debated on Wednesday. European Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath recalled that national legislation must guarantee that public media funding responds to transparent and objective criteria and ensures adequate, sustainable, and predictable resources. "Endangering national security" The government of billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babis, who returned to power after the electoral victory of his ANO movement last year, defends the reform as a way to ease the economic burden on households and denies that it will affect journalistic independence. He also accuses Czech media, both public and private, of maintaining a biased stance. The coalition is made up of ANO, the far-right and anti-immigration Freedom and Direct Democracy party (SPD), and the Eurosceptic Motorists for Themselves party. Babis promised to move forward with the project despite the protests, which also expressed the rejection by sectors of society of other policies of his government. The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Andrej Babis, at a press conference in Berlin. Ebrahim Noroozi - AP The prime minister has clashed with the main European Union guidelines on environment and migration and refused to commit Czech financial resources to help Ukraine against the Russian invasion. His administration has also received criticism from NATO allies for not allocating enough budget to defense. During the mobilization, Minar warned about the influence of pro-Russian sectors in the government and called for the resignation of the Speaker of Parliament, Tomio Okamura, leader of the SPD, and Defense Minister Jaromir Zuna. "While Putin threatens Europe, the pro-Russians are systematically undermining the state's defensive capacity and endangering national security," he said. AP and Reuters agencies