Brutal attack on Romanian workers in Czech Republic - racists thought they were Roma

Police have charged four men from Votice with attacking Romanian workers because they believed they were members of the Roma community. In mid-May the men are alleged to have shouted racist slogans at the workers before breaking into their building and brawling with them. Zuzana Stránská, spokesperson for the Benešov Police, said the four men face up to five years in prison if convicted, news server Aktuálně.cz reports.

Stránská said the men first verbally assaulted the group of Romanians in the garden of the Domino Bar in Votice. They are alleged to have shouted at them that they were “Gypsies” and to have chanted the Nazi greetings “Sieg Heil” and “Heil Hitler”.

After the Romanians left the bar, the men played songs by the band Orlík on the jukebox and fortified themselves with alcohol. One is said to have taken off his shirt to display his tattoos of Nazi symbols and showed the others how to correctly raise their arms in the fascist salute.

After midnight the four men broke into the building where the Romanians were accommodated and entered the room where they were sleeping, allegedly punching one of them in the face. A brawl followed during which the Romanians defended themselves with whatever was to hand – bottles, fuel, makeshift knives, pickle jars and sticks. The workers managed to drive the attackers from the building. The men finally broke the glass in the street-level doors and fled, news server Aktuálně.cz reports.

Stránská said the men have been charged with breaking and entering, violence against a group and individuals, rioting, and manifesting sympathy for a movement aimed at suppressing human rights and freedoms.