Wenceslas Square was alive with the sound of protest on Tuesday 8th July, as crowds of demonstrators took to the streets to voice their opposition to Czech Republic signing a treaty that agrees to station a US radar base on Czech soil. The police estimated about 1800 people were present, whilst the organizers of the event insist there were least 3000. All of them were saying one thing: No Bases.

The demonstration heard speeches from the spokespeople of the protest group Ne základnám (the No To Bases Initiative), Jan Tamáš and Jan Májíček, and Charter 77 activist and journalist Petr Uhl, as well as Jan Neoral, the mayor of a Trokavec, a village near the location of the proposed base. Their efforts to deliver the message to US Secretary of State, Condolezza Rice, were thwarted when police blocked the protest from proceeding to her reception in Hrzan's palace.

US and Czech officials have stated the agreement will provide a defence for the European members of NATO against long-range missile attacks from the Middle East, but the move has already received international opposition. The Russians in particular see it as a threat to their nation. Russian Prime Minister Putin has gone so far as to state he fears such American missile-shields could lead to a new Cold War. Meanwhile, the plans have seen little favour amongst the Czech public.

Jan Tamas, who previously did on a 21-day hunger strike protesting against the Bush administration, wanted to deliver the message that the majority of Czechs continuously refuse the planned radar facility. His group cite fears of an arms race and opposition to having foreign troops on Czech soil. The treaty still has to pass through parliament, where it will likely meet strong resistance. The chairman of Czech parliament, Miroslav Vlček, who belongs to the Social Democratic party, was also denied meeting with the US Secretary of State.

Protests have also been held for the other side of the coin, however; last month Jiri Dolezal, a commentator for the Czech weekly magazine Reflex, held a hunger strike in favor of the missile plans, complaining about Czech passivity during communism and hoping for a bolstering of national security.

Whichever side wins when the treaty goes to parliament for ratification, this is an issue that has divided the Czech people, and for many it has become more than a matter of the radar-base, but a symbol of supporting or opposing the Bush administration.

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