Czech neo-Nazis end march through Plzen

No incident occurred during the march of neo-Nazis through the West Bohemian town of Plzen today in which the participation was smaller than expected by the police.

The rightist extremists walked with black flags from the namesti Emila Skody square near the bus station to the namesti Republiky square and some of them have returned to the station.

There were also rallies by anti-fascists along the route of the march. The police separated both groups.

"There was no incident," local police commander Jaromir Knize said.

About 150-200 Czech neo-Nazis reached the namesti Republiky square where the rally ended after a 60-minute march, the police CTK.

No incident has occurred during their march, although the neo-Nazis walked passed a rally of about 500 anti-fascists.

Anarchists pelted the neo-Nazis with empty bottles and apples.

The neo-Nazis’ march was preceded by speeches attacking the current regime. Neo-Nazi activists accused the police and political establishment of harassing and terrorising them.

"This is no democracy, but a totalitarian rule," one of them said.

The marchers were wearing black flags and some of them covered their faces with masks.

Extremism experts say the march is organised by the neo-Nazi National Resistance.

A National Resistance activist sharply attacked what he called Jews’ power activities in the Czech Republic. He spoke about thousands of victims caused by the "artificially established Jewish state in Palestine."

Neo-Nazis opponents were reading the names of Holocaust victims and unfolded banners saying "Laws and Institutions Siding with neo-Nazis" outside the synagogue.

The anti-Nazi rally was attended by representatives of the League against Anti-Semitism, the Jewish Liberal Unions, senior local politicians, Bishop Frantisek Radkovsky, former political prisoner General Antonin Husnik and director of the Prague Jewish Museum Leo Pavlat.

The police measures are still valid as the police will watch the extremists’ movement in the town during the night.

The march was originally scheduled for January 19, one day after the 66th anniversary of the first transport of Jews from Plzen to concentration camps. The Plzen Town Hall banned the march, but a court later ruled that the ban was not invalid and that the organiser had the right to stage a new march.