Prague: Thousands of demonstrators demanded better support for pregnant women

The march traditionally began with Mass in the Cathedral of St. Vit, Wenceslas and Wojciech at the Prague Castle, after which respective separate demonstrations moved towards Wenceslas Square. At the same time, respective countermanifests protested against mixing religion, politics and legislation. Despite respective incidents, the march went mostly unhindered and much calmer than in the erstwhile year, erstwhile the blockades, thanks to increased police presence, stopped the march.

Mass for pregnant women, their families and unborn children was organised by the Prague Archdiocese in cooperation with the Metropolitan Chapter of St. Vit. The main celebrity was the Archbishop of elder Jan Graubner, who gave the people a blessing. The Eucharist, in the spirit of the Catholic pro-life movement, was celebrated in the intention of “a pregnant female in hard circumstances”. Radim Uchac, president of the Movement for Life organization, explained that the aim is not to have an ideological dispute over the law, but alternatively to ‘emphasise the request for concrete assistance’.

The march focused on protecting unborn life, as well as social and economical demands. According to the organizers, thousands of women in the Czech Republic in crisis pregnancies receive insufficient support each year. Reforms in housing, taxes and social safety were requested to prevent social degradation related to pregnancy. Uchac besides highlighted the applicable activity of "Move for Life", which offers concrete support through its hotline for pregnant women. Since 2006, more than 7,000 women have received help.

The demonstration took place in the context of a falling birth rate. According to authoritative data, around 77,600 children were born in the Czech Republic in 2025 and the number of abortions was around 15,000. Organizers see this as a social informing signal and call for stronger policy action to support families.