Commentary by Karel Holomek: A killing or a murder?

Whether it was a killing or a murder, it must be properly explained and taken up by the legal authorities. I am talking about the case of the death of one young Romani man and the serious injury caused to another on New Year’s Eve in Tanvald.

First of all, let me say there are many suspicious circumstances here. The response of State Prosecutor Lenka Bradáčová, for one: “I can rule out racial motivation!” The certainty! The lady lives in this country and doesn’t know anything about what is going on in North Bohemia, the place where this killing or murder occurred? Doesn’t the shooter have a reputation for beating up Romani people?

Or what about the reasons the perpetrator – of a probable murder, no less – should still be in detention! Potential destruction of evidence, influencing of witnesses, escaping detection by disappearing – even though the state prosecutor denies any of this might occur. We’ll see today!

Then there is this question: Wouldn’t it calm the public, in such a serious case, if the perpetrator were detained? There are enough reasons to do so. Aren’t the actions of an institution of state justice such as the state prosecutor supposed to contribute to calming the public? It is difficult to get rid of the impression that the failure to calm the public is intentional.

I have filed criminal charges against the state prosecutor’s office in Jablonec nad Nisou and I will file a complaint against the unprofessional behavior of both the police and the state prosecutor should their behavior turn out to have been incorrect. It wouldn’t be the first time.

However, it is a fact that marches and protests by Romani people won’t help this situation – rather, they will harm it. Even if they are understandable.