Police in Prague are deploying several hundred officers and a helicopter to oversee the Prague Pride march this Saturday, tightening security after a deadly vehicle-ramming attack targeted an LGBT+ event in Berlin last month. Interior Minister Lubomír Metnar said authorities would not allow a repeat of the Berlin attack on Czech soil, while noting security forces have no information about any specific threat. The Czech Republic currently maintains its second-highest terrorism threat level.
The parade route running from Wenceslas Square to Štvanice island will be sealed off, with traffic restrictions across central Prague from noon until 5 p.m. affecting major roads and bridges. Police have urged the public to avoid driving into the centre and use public transport instead.
The festival, which relocated its main venue from Letná to Štvanice island this year, opens on Monday with more than 100 cultural and educational events. First held in 2011, Prague Pride has drawn conservative opposition since its inception.