Czech Police charge five with support for suppression of human rights over 1 May 2014 march

Police have charged five persons who participated in last year’s 1 May march in Ústí nad Labem with showing sympathy for a movement to suppress human rights and freedoms. The people were wearing banned symbols.  

Police spokesperson Veronika Hyšplerová told the Czech News Agency today that those charged include a female minor. "During the march these people were wearing neo-Nazi symbols, either as clothing, tattoos or other accessories," she said.  

Those charged face up to three years in prison. Officers have also asked their colleagues in Slovakia to help determine whether another participant in the event is in that neighboring state.

Czech detectives intend to charge the Slovak participant as well. Those now charged include a female minor from Ústí nad Labem who was wearing earrings with a Nazi swastika.  

A photograph of the girl was published by news server Romea.cz. The others charged wore clothing with the symbols of the unregistered neo-Nazi organization National Resistance.

One man was charged because of his tattoos. "He had a Nazi swastika tatooed on his neck. During his interrogation he said he was going to have it removed, and according to photographic documentation he has since submitted, he actually has had the tattoo redone," a detective involved in the case told the Czech News Agency.

Detectives have worked on the cases for several months. "We reviewed photographs and video footage from the march,  and we had to commission expert opinions," the detective said.

Three of the persons charged have previously been convicted of this offense. Up to 300 right-wing radicals marched through the center of Ústí nad Labem on 1 May 2014 whileh 200 opponents of Fascism counter-demonstrated.

As many as 700 police officers supervised order in the town. The event took place without any serious clashes.