A section of Vltava River was dyed red on Tuesday, May 13th, in a protest action by two activist groups—StopGenocidevGaze and BOLT958—to draw attention to the war in Gaza and Czechia’s continued political support for Israel.

Alongside the symbolic colouring of the water near Kampa Island, demonstrators hung a large 30-metre banner reading “STOP THE GENOCIDE – BOYCOTT ISRAEL”.

The groups behind the protest accused the Czech government of ignoring war crimes in Gaza and suppressing public discourse.

“The Czech Republic continues to support a regime that is committing war crimes, including the ethnic cleansing of civilians,” the groups said in a statement. They referenced the International Court of Justice’s ongoing investigation into genocide allegations and the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

They claim that Czech leaders are either ignoring calls for action or actively silencing critical voices. “That’s why we chose a different way to raise awareness—by disrupting the routine in the historic heart of Prague,” the statement added.

Organisers stressed that the red dye used in the river is environmentally safe. The colour, they said, symbolises the blood of civilians killed in the Israeli military campaign.

According to a recent Lancet report, as many as 186,000 people may have died in Gaza between October 2023 and September 2024. This number includes deaths not only from direct attacks but also from starvation, untreated injuries, and a collapsed health system.

The Prague protest was part of a wider series of international symbolic actions.

Recently, Greenpeace UK members poured red dye into a pond outside the U.S. Embassy in London, targeting American arms sales to Israel. Similar protests have taken place in Barcelona, Paris, and Amsterdam, using the colour red to symbolise civilian deaths.

The Prague-based collective StopGenocidevGaze was formed in March 2024, when it disrupted the reopening of the National Gallery to protest the silence of cultural institutions.

A few months later, during the Matter of Art Biennale, the group installed an olive tree in the gallery and left it to wither—representing the fading lives of Palestinians under siege.

Would you like us to write about your business? Find out more