Pro-Trump, anti-COVID-19 restrictions rally marches through central Prague

Dozens of people demonstrated in the center of Prague on Friday to challenge the results of the U.S. presidential election following the storming of the United States Capitol in Washington earlier this week.

The demonstrators also protested Czech government measures against the COVID-19 epidemic and the circumstances surrounding the recent death of a former Slovak police chief.

The demonstration started with speeches made at Wenceslas Square. From there, protesters walked across Charles Bridge to the U.S. Embassy in Prague and then to the Slovak Embassy. The group was led by a carriage pulled by horses.

The protesters carried Czech and American flags and chanted "Vote for Trump!"

Outside the U.S. embassy, they called for a correction of the U.S. presidential election because of alleged election frauds.

In Washington on Wednesday, U.S. Congress met to confirm the results of the presidential vote, in which outgoing President Donald Trump was defeated by his Democratic rival Joe Biden.

The session had to be interrupted after pro-Trump demonstrators broke into the Capitol. Congress confirmed the election result on Thursday. Trump has not formally recognized the victory of his rival.

Outside the Slovak embassy, demonstrators challenged news that the death of prosecuted former Slovak police president Milan Lučanský was by suicide. Lučanský died last week and his funeral took place on Friday. The demonstrators had a moment of silence and lit candles to pay honor to Lučanský.

In speeches made at Wenceslas Square, restrictions that the government introduced to curb the epidemic were criticized, as well as the COVID-19 vaccination.

Some of the demonstrators wore a Star of David with the slogan "Not Vaccinated." Some speakers claimed that there in fact was no disease.

Several similar demonstrations against the restrictions have previously been organized in Prague.