Czech detectives investigate arson against police vehicle, "anarchists" took credit
The Czech Republic’s Organized Crime Detection Unit (Útvar pro odhalování organizovaného zločinu – ÚOOZ) has taken over from detectives in Ústí nad Labem the investigation of an attack on a police vehicle committed at the end of August. Several confidential police sources have confirmed the transfer and believe the arson attack could be related to left-wing extremism.
ÚOOZ spokesperson Pavel Hanták said the agency will not comment on the investigation at this time. An unidentified man set the police vehicle on fire on 30 August at about 1:30 AM near the police station in the Střekov quarter of Ústí nad Labem.
The automobile was completely destroyed. Video footage of the blaze is available on the internet.
A new Youtube.com user posted the footage. An anarchist cell called "Proletarian Solidarity" (Proletářská solidarita) has claimed responsibility for the attack.
In an e-mail sent to the Czech News Agency, the cell claims the attack was part of the actions of the International Week of Anarchist Prisoners. The message named several anarchists whom the cell believes have been imprisoned for their political positions.
"The message of this direct action is simple. In the ongoing class war the states are imprisoning persons who actively resist. An appropriate display of solidarity with these prisoners, therefore, is to continue resistance against the same targets using the same methods our friends often chose before they were imprisoned," the statement reads.
The case was originally investigated by detectives in Ústí nad Labem. According to police sources, the ÚOOZ has requested all of the background documentation on the case and taken over the investigation.
Hanták is refusing to provide information. He would not confirm whether the case might be connected with other attacks committed by left-wing extremists.
"We provide information from the criminal proceedings exclusively during the phase of initiating prosecution. Until then we can neither confirm nor deny that we are dealing with anything in particular," he said.
Another unidentified perpetrator attempted to attack a police vehicle at the start of the year in Litvínov (Most district). No damages were caused.
"That case is still under investigation by the police and we will not be providing any further information," Most police spokesperson Ludmila Světláková said. She also refused to say whether the ÚOOZ has taken up the investigation of that case or not.
