Posted on April 27, 2009

Czech Far-Right March Without Major Incidents

CTK, Ceske Noviny (Prague), April 25, 2009

Krupka–A far-right march of about a hundred supporters of the extremist Workers’ Party (DS) took place in Krupka without any major incidents.

Heavily armed police prevented a clash between the radicals and Romanies from the local housing estate.

When the extremists marched to the estate, two young Romanies threw a metal bar and a beer mug at them.

After this incident, Human Rights and Minorities Minister Michael Kocab who also arrived at the housing estate he calmed down the locals, supported by Romanies arriving from other places.

“A clash must be avoided. This would escalate and turn into a street guerilla war and we must let this happen,” Kocab told CTK.

Several extremist marches recently occurred in north Bohemian towns. Last weekend, unknown attackers threw Molotov cocktails in a house inhabited by Romanies in north Moravia. Three people very severely injured in the fire, including a small girl whose condition remains critical.

DS deputy head Petr Kotab criticised Krupka mayor for supporting “parasites” living at the local housing estate during the march this afternoon.

The Workers’ Party held a similar march a week ago.

After the organisers ended the march, a group of anarchists tried to attack them, but the police separated the two groups.

Far-right activists plan a massive protest on May Day in Brno.