Police in České Budějovice are requesting assistance with an unusual search – they need to identify not a perpetrator, but a victim who was brutally assaulted by a violent youth this past summer on Piaristické Square. Detectives have already apprehended the perpetrator of the attack after video footage of it was posted online (available at http://www.romea.cz/cz/zpravodajstvi/domaci/mladik-brutalne-zautocil-na-chodce-v-ceskych-budejovicich-napadeny-byl-zrejme-rom).
Police say the alleged assailant is a well-known České Budějovice local. The video footage shows the victim doing his best to dissuade the youth from persisting with his attack.
The perpetrator responds to the gesture of a handshake with a brutal assault. "The victim seems to be between 15 and 18 years of age, is probably of Romani nationality, has shorter dark hair, and was wearing a grey Adidas t-shirt and light-blue jeans," police spokesperson Jiří Matzner says.
According to TV Nova, the alleged assailant is only 15 years old. This is reportedly not the only attack he has committed.
TV Nova also reports that the suspect actively participated in the anti-Romani demonstrations that got out of hand at the Máj housing estate in České Budějovice earlier this year, where he allegedly also behaved very aggressively. "The case is being investigated for now as suspected rioting. Police officers are asking the young victim to call number 158 and are also asking any other witnesses who know the identity of any other people in the footage, especially the identity of the victim, to contact police by calling number 158 or the direct line of detective warrant officer Ing. Stanislav Dudlíček, 974 226 602," says Matzner.
