In Pictures: Czechs Protest Ahead of Velvet Revolution Anniversary

Saturday's protest was organised by "Million Moments for Democracy", a student-led movement that drew a quarter of a million people to Letna plain in June amid ire over alleged conflicts of interest involving the Agrofert conglomerate that Babis founded.

According to Million Moments chairman Mikulas Minar, Babis is abusing media and political power to profit his companies.

Police estimated Saturday's crowd at 200,000 people, according to media reports, making the protest slightly smaller than the summer demonstration that rocked Babis's premiership. Million Moments put the crowd size at around a quarter of a million.

On Sunday, the Czech Republic and Slovakia commemorate the events of November 17, 1989, when waves of peaceful protests lasting 10 days eventually brought down the totalitarian regime in what was then Czechoslovakia.

Three decades on, analysts say anger over alleged corruption and democratic backsliding in Central Europe gives Velvet Revolution commemorations an extra sense of purpose.

In Prague on Saturday, protesters carried banners saying "rule of law" and "freedom". Some demonstrators held pictures of former dissident and President Vaclav Havel.

Here are pictures from the rally.

Photo: EPA-EFE/MARTIN DIVISEK

Photo: EPA-EFE/MARTIN DIVISEK

Photo: EPA-EFE/MARTIN DIVISEK

Photo: EPA-EFE/MARTIN DIVISEK

Photo: EPA-EFE/MARTIN DIVISEK

'Million Moments for Democracy' chairman Mikulas Minar stands on a podium as thousands of demonstrators sing the Czech national anthem in Prague. Photo: EPA-EFE/MARTIN DIVISEK

Photo: EPA-EFE/MARTIN DIVISEK

Photo: EPA-EFE/MARTIN DIVISEK

Photo: EPA-EFE/MARTIN DIVISEK