Czech Republic: About 40 people attend anti-Roma assembly in Duchcov

On the square in the town of Duchcov (Teplice district) approximately 40 people convened on the afternoon of Saturday, 13 July for an anti-Roma assembly. People listened to a brief speech and then dispersed, but some of them headed to the southern part of town where the Romani neighborhood is.

Police prevented the march from progressing at the corner of Bílinská and Nádražní  Street. "The neo-Nazis are here and so are the riot police," Zlatuše Tomášová, a field social worker for the Roma community in Duchcov told news server Romea.cz shortly after 16:00 CET.

According to police spokesperson Veronika Hyšplerová, public order was being preserved at that time. Approximately 70 Romani residents gathered on Bílinská and Karel Čapek Streets in response to the assembly on the square.

Some of the right-wing radicals had set off from the square for those streets, but police prevented them from marching further. Tomášová said one minor incident occurred there.

"There were two Nazis here and they threw plastic bottles at a staff member of the Květina (Flower) civic association. Police detained the Nazis and took them away with the victim for interrogation," Tomášová told news server Romea.cz.

"A small group of neo-Nazis and locals from Duchcov came here and started cursing at me. Then a black car showed up with four people it, two guys and two women. One guy pulled out a plastic bottle half full of beer and threw it at me," Štefan Horvát of Květina told news server Romea.cz.

"In connection with the assembly in Duchcov we addressed two incidents which are currently evaluated as misdemeanor violations of civil coexistence," Hyšplerová confirmed to news server Romea.cz.

According to Tomášová, police patrols were visible in the town checking the identification of the small groups of neo-Nazis wandering around. Otherwise, as of 18:30 on Saturday 13 July, both police and Tomášová said things were calm.