Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in Prague on Sunday to oppose a proposed overhaul of public broadcasting funding and to call for the protection of media independence in the Czech Republic. The protest, organized by the civic group Million Moments for Democracy, saw participants carry signs with messages such as “Stop the government of arrogance and destruction” and “We don’t want censorship back!” Smaller demonstrations had already been held in Prague, Brno, and other cities in the days leading up to the main event.

The controversy centers on a government plan led by Prime Minister Andrej Babis and his right-wing populist administration to eliminate broadcasting license fees and instead finance public television and radio directly from the state budget. This shift is coupled with proposed budget cuts exceeding 15 percent, prompting critics to raise concerns about the potential erosion of editorial independence for the country’s public broadcasters.

The legislative proposal cleared its first reading in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of parliament, during an overnight session early Saturday. It is now slated for further review by parliamentary committees. The timing and manner of the bill’s advancement have drawn sharp criticism from Czech President Petr Pavel, who said the expedited process cast doubt on the motives behind the proposal and undermined public trust. Pavel, who has been at odds with Babis on several occasions, condemned the decision to push the legislation forward late at night and over the weekend.

Supporters of the reform argue that switching to state budget funding could streamline financial support for public media, but opponents warn that this could compromise their independence by making them more susceptible to government influence. The ongoing debate highlights broader tensions over media freedom and government control in the Czech Republic, as the country grapples with balancing public service broadcasting’s financial sustainability and safeguarding its autonomy.