Hundreds of gunmen, sport shooters, hunters in high visibility vest and members of the armed forces in the middle under the statue of St. Wenceslas in Prague protested against the Euro smart on weapons, which was approved by the European Parliament on Tuesday despite the strong opposition of the Czech Republic.
The MPs, representatives of the Bohemian-Moravian Hunting Unity, as well as the double champion of the world in sport shooting Adam Tic and the representatives of the armory men, took part in the improvised hunting ceremony on Wenceslas Square.
A demonstrator has in their hands banners with inscriptions such as “Prohibit Radicalism, Not Weapons,” “EU Guidelines bury us,” or links to disarmament in 1938.
Demonstration at Wenceslas Square in Prague against a European directive tightening arms possession.
The speakers in safety vest agreed that the EU directive by limiting the legal possession of weapons does not complicate the lives of terrorists and organized crime. According to them, a strict Czech law on weapons should be an example for other countries.
“The vote was held in the Euro parliament in five minutes, the usual debate was not accepted and no amendments to the Czech MEPs were voted,” said Bohemia Strake of the Czech-Moravian Hunting Union.
Retired captain Jixi Kink said that freedom is at stake. “Today they are arms, tomorrow they are basting pocket knives. Do not make us stupid of us; it’s because of the fight against terrorism. The Brussels elite actually started to worry their own citizens, “he said.
Constitutional amendment and action
Martin Lank, Marshal, has called the directive a Pasqual. “The only thing the EU has come up with in response to terrorist attacks is this norm. Now we have to take full advantage of the time left before we have to transpose the directive into Czech law by filing an action against the European Court of Justice, and anchoring the right to hold the gun in the constitution, “he said.
KSČM deputy Zukav also voiced support for the constitutional amendment. “I am convinced that protecting our country is not a right but a duty of citizens,” she said.
Also, according to Strake, there is no other solution to the current situation than to oppose the directive by a constitutional amendment proposed by thirty MEPs across the ranks that the House will still be dealing with.
Funeral parade in reflective vests
Wednesday’s event culminated in a funeral parade accompanied by music that brought a coffin full of roses, cups and medals from sports competitions before the European Commission headquarters in nearby Street. At the mourning parade, a number of participants took the reflective vests that the hunters wear for hunting to point out the security that needs to be handled when handling weapons.
The organizers planned to hand over the coffin to EC representatives, but after ten minutes the protesters did not get anybody, so when the national anthem was sung, the procession turned and went back to Wenceslas Square.