200,000 Angry Czechs : Nation’s Biggest Protest Calls for End of Regime : Police Keep Hands Off; No Violence

More than 200,000 angry demonstrators marched through downtown Prague today in the largest protest ever against their hard-line Communist government.

For the first time in decades major protests involving tens of thousands of citizens also broke out in other cities, according to state-run Czechoslovak television. The demonstrations were peaceful.

The protesters met in central Wenceslas Square, then set out across town for Hradcany Castle, the residence of President Gustav Husak, in a noisy, triumphal procession for democracy.

“It’s the end, Milos!” and “Jakes out!” the protesters cried, referring to Communist Party chief Milos Jakes. They also called for free elections and loudly supported a general strike called by students and artists for Nov. 27.

The march was the fourth major protest in Prague in as many days and indicated severe trouble for the Communist government, which until recently had faced only small demonstrations. Leaders have rejected reforms that have swept through neighboring Communist countries in recent weeks.

Police did not stop the march, but they blocked bridges across the Vltava River leading to the castle. Many demonstrators changed course and continued on to a major plaza, Old Town Square, chanting “We are the people.” Later, they dispersed peacefully.

The small police presence today contrasted sharply with last Friday, when security forces severely beat demonstrators, prompting widespread outrage.

“The bell tolls for you!” the crowd chanted. Some carried banners reading, “Democracy for all” and “Red murderers to court.”

The marchers jeered as they passed the offices of the Communist trade union daily, Prace, crying “Are you Czechs?”

“Here it happened!” they yelled, as they passed the site where police beat demonstrators on Friday. Several candles marked the spot.

Trolley cars rang their bells as the protesters passed, and bystanders jingled their keys, adding to the noise.

In an unusual move, the state-run news agency CTK reported the demonstration quickly and in objective language. It noted that protesters “express strong disagreement at the action taken by riot police” on Friday. Czech television reported 200,000 people along the path of the march.

Also today, students began a sit-in strike at Prague universities to protest police attacks on demonstrators, and a Communist leader for the first time condemned the bloody crackdown Friday.

East German Communist Party chief Egon Krenz postponed a visit to Prague that had been scheduled for Tuesday. And Britain summoned the Czechoslovak ambassador to protest the police beatings of two British journalists. It called the weekend violence “disgraceful and gratuitous.”

In Washington today, State Department spokeswoman Margaret Tutwiler said of the events Friday: “By attacking peaceful demonstrators, Czechoslovakian authorities further damaged their credibility at home and abroad.”