Czechs took to the streets in the biggest protests since the fall of communism, demanding that billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babis resign over allegations of conflict of interest and a criminal fraud case involving European Union funds.
Organizers said about 250,000 people rallied against the minority government on Sunday in Prague’s Letna park, scene of the largest rallies that toppled communist rule 30 years ago. It was a culmination of two months of protests against Babis, who has denounced the accusations as an attempt by his opponents to derail his political career. Police estimated the crowd at 200,000.
The protesters, many of whom traveled from the far-flung reaches of the central European country, waved EU and Czech flags and banners reading “Resign.” Public transportation strained under the pressure of people arriving to the site near the Prague castle. Student activists organizing the rallies say the premier is unfit to stay in the office because of the mounting scandals.
“We can’t accept a prime minister who’s facing a criminal investigation and is in such a fundamental conflict of interest,” Benjamin Roll, one of the organizers, told the crowd. “We’ve had enough.”
Babis is facing potential criminal charges over allegations that a company he once owned illegally obtained about $2 million worth of EU aid last decade. Also, a preliminary report from the European Commission found Babis in conflict of interest because, despite having put his agriculture, media and chemical business empire in trusts, he has influence over EU funds they may receive...
Sound a little familiar, America? Yeah, this is a lot like trump... and also the likes of other rich businessmen who turned to politics to expand their corruption.
We've allowed ourselves to get blinded by the media mythologizing of the genius CEOs, the brilliant lies of deregulation and tax cuts, and allowed far too many con artists into political offices they have no right serving.
But there is a way to fight back against this corruption, when it's all said and done.
You can stand up - like they're doing in Prague, and what they're doing in Istanbul as well - and say "No."
You can recognize the crooks - right now, that's Republicans with their Godawful tax giveaway to their rich buddies - for what they do, what they take from us, and tell them "No more."
You can vote them out of office. That's all it takes. Show up at the ballot, and do your damnedest to make sure your vote counts, and that the bastards are all gone by the end of the day.
Stand up, America. They're doing it across the globe now, against the corrupt powers in high places, and we need to stand up as well.
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