Prague theater Švandovo divadlo shows support for Black Lives Matter, meets online backlash

Prague’s Švandovo divadlo theater, which regularly presents plays with English supertitles for non-Czech-speaking audiences, displayed “Black Lives Matter” on their marquee over the weekend to show solidarity with the ongoing US-based movement that has seen worldwide protests over the past weeks.

“The purpose of our message is to warn against discrimination against any minorities or races, no matter where.”

The Black Lives Matter sign stood at Švandovo divadlo’s marquee for three days over the weekend, though it has since been replaced by the titles of the theater’s upcoming plays.

When posting a photo of the Black Lives Matter marquee to their Facebook page, however, the theater was surprised to face a wave of negative comments that included everything from “White Lives Matter” graphics to purported fans of the theater saying they would no longer attend their plays.

“In a month they will cry ‘every visitor matters.’ There are plenty of other theaters that behave professionally,” wrote one commenter.

“I hope you go bankrupt,” added another, who received 437 likes on his post.

An image reading “Stop Black Terror, White Lives Matter,” received 569 likes.

Still, not all of the feedback – even from those who disagreed with the theater’s actions – was entirely negative.

“I had a different and positive experience with one writer who I corresponded with all weekend,” Hrbek told Lidovky.cz.

“It was an interesting and cultivated discussion, at the end of which we disagreed, but it ended well. It is not without interest that the person in question comes to our theater, and as they wrote to me after this discussion, they will continue to go. I am pleased with this “trifle” – the possibility of mutual respect, even if we do not agree with each other.”

Other commenters expressed support for the theater, though they were in the minority.

“I really like what you wrote at the theater,” read one comment.

“It is right to stand up for people who are being wronged. I’m so sorry for the racist comments here.”

According to Hrbek, attendance at Švandovo divadlo has been high in the weeks following the easing of anti-coronavirus measures in the Czech Republic, with performances filling the theater so far in June. Pre-sales of tickets for the upcoming season have also been high.

Švandovo divadlo bills itself as Prague’s first theater with English supertitles for local Czech-language performances.