Around 1,000 people protested in Brno’s namesti Svobody yesterday against the nomination of Motorists’ leader Petr Macinka as the new Czech environment minister, with speakers criticising the politician’s questioning of scientific facts about climate change and his promotion of fossil fuels.
With Macinka as minister, there will not be a flower left, read one of the banners. “Macinka go home, you don’t understand,” the demonstrators chanted.
At least 800 people took part in the protest, according to an estimate by the Brno Municipal Police, spokesman Jakub Ghanem told CTK at 5pm. The protest was mostly attended by young people, but families with children also turned out despite the rainy weather. Czech Police spokesman Bohumil Malasek estimated the turnout at 1,000 at around 6pm, as did the organisers.
The protest lasted nearly two hours, with speeches by representatives of environmental organisations, students and long-time environmentalists.
Yvonne Gailly, who last year received the State Medal of Merit for Science from President Petr Pavel, spoke on behalf of the Klimababicky association. According to Gailly, the society wants to show that seniors care not only about their comfort and pensions, but also about the world around them.
29-year-old Kristyna Kanova came to the square to express her opinion. “I am afraid of what will happen at the Ministry of the Environment. In my opinion, [Macinka’s] threats that ‘green blood will flow’ do not belong in the Environment Ministry, which should be led by someone who does not deny science, reflects the conclusions of the scientific community and loves nature,” Kanova told CTK.
Microscope designer Jiri Pospisil said that the Environment Minister should be someone who will take care of nature protection and put it ahead of economic interests.
Representatives of ANO, Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) and the Motorists are currently negotiating the future government. They have postponed a decision on cabinet ministers until later.
Environmental organisations, scientists and students have also issued open letters expressing reservations about the appointment of a candidate from the Motorists heading the Environment Ministry.
A similar demonstration took place in Prague on Sunday. Macinka previously described the Prague demonstration as an attempt to rewrite the election results and rejected the environmentalists’ concerns.
