Thousands of Czechs protested in Prague on Wednesday against the government's handling of soaring energy prices.

The demonstration on a national holiday in Prague's main square, organised by a number of far-right and fringe parties, followed a similar protest earlier in September that drew tens of thousands of people.

The organising group "Czech Republic First!" opposes the European Union and NATO and calls for the central European nation of 10.7 million to be militarily neutral.

Czechia is a member of both the EU and NATO.

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Protesters held banners with slogans such as "End the comedy" and many waved Czech flags.

"The Czech nation has risen, and it is taking its country back," one of the organizers told the crowd as he opened the protest which was streamed online to squares in other cities.

"A government has two duties: to ensure our security and economic prosperity. This government does not fulfil either of these duties," he said.

High energy prices, fueled by the war in Ukraine, have piled pressure on governments across Europe to cushion the blow of mounting energy costs for consumers and businesses.

The current centre-right government of Prime Minister Petr Fiala this month adopted a string of measures, including financial aid for companies and price caps on electricity for households.