Czech Activists Stage Flash Mob to Return Ukrainian Flag to Prague's National Museum

PRAGUE — In a symbolic gesture of solidarity, activists from the "Kaputin" group staged a peaceful flash mob at the National Museum in Prague on Monday, March 30, unfurling the Ukrainian flag both inside the historic building and from its exterior.

The Flash Mob Performance

Local media reported that the activists gathered inside the museum shortly before noon. At exactly 12:00 PM, a brief dance performance took place on the grand central staircase. During the routine, two dancers revealed long strips of blue and yellow fabric concealed beneath their skirts. Joined by fellow activists, they assembled the pieces to form the national flag of Ukraine.

Shortly after, the flag was briefly hung from a museum window overlooking Wenceslas Square. The demonstration, which museum management had no prior knowledge of, lasted approximately 20 minutes before security guards peacefully escorted the participants out of the building.

Motivations and Political Criticism

The activists organized the event to protest the removal of the Ukrainian flag from the museum's facade last August. According to Kaputin member Otakar van Gemund, taking down the flags of a nation under attack from public institutions represents a form of "servility to the Russian regime."

"With this silent flash mob, we wanted to return the Ukrainian flag to the National Museum and thus symbolically support Ukraine," van Gemund explained. He criticized a "disturbing trend" of populist and nationalist politicians attempting to stoke hatred toward Ukraine, arguing that the country is shedding blood not only for its own survival but for the entire Western democratic world. "Ukraine currently does more for the security of the Czech Republic than the entire Czech government," the group stated.

The activists also directed sharp criticism at the current government coalition, accusing it of cutting the military budget and pushing the country toward the "Russian world" by introducing so-called "Russian laws," such as legislation targeting foreign agents.

Symbolism of the Date and Past Actions

The date of March 30 was deliberately chosen. Former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš had previously proposed designating this date as Czech Flag Day. The Kaputin group stated that while they deeply respect state symbols, they reject their exploitation by populists and extremists whose policies "weaken our democracy and harm our national interests."

The Ukrainian flag was originally removed from the museum's main building late last August to make way for promotional banners for an exhibition featuring Ethiopian hominid fossils, Lucy and Selam. Since then, activists have made several attempts to restore the Ukrainian colors to the site:

• October: Activists mounted a Ukrainian flag on a metal structure near the main entrance, draped a massive flag over the terrace railing, and held a public demonstration demanding its return to the facade.
• February 23: Kaputin, alongside the "Civic Sign" initiative, used lasers to project the blue and yellow flag onto the museum's New Building, accompanied by the message, "We must defeat Russia."

The Kaputin group has been a vocal opponent of Russian aggression since the onset of the full-scale invasion, notably gaining attention in the past for exhibiting a statue of Russian President Vladimir Putin sitting on a golden toilet.