Czech Republic: Injuries after DSSS provokes street warfare in Duchcov, police use tear gas and water cannon

In the Czech town of Duchcov (Teplice district) the first clashes have taken place between riot police and promoters of the Workers Social Justice Party (Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti – DSSS). Bottles and rocks were thrown and police used firecrackers, tear gas and water cannon. Police have confirmed two officers injured, but others have sustained bloody cuts. A photographer was struck in the head with a rock and a woman also suffered injuries. The right-wing radical event completely lost any sort of organized progression. 

News server Romea.cz followed the situation in Duchcov and reported on it in real time online. Here is a transcript of the coverage:

18:15
The Čhikatar het / Z bahna ven! ("Out of the Mud!") event is slowly winding down. "About 40 people are still standing around on the street where the cultural events took place, but everything is already ending," our correspondent reports.

18:03
A total of five people have been injured, including one journalist and two police officers. Czech Television reports police have arrested 16 aggressive neo-Nazis and confiscated 38 weapons from the demonstrators. News server iDNES.cz reports 22 arrests, including one of the organizers of the right-wing extremist gathering.

17:55
It seems the situation in the town is calming down. "I am on Mír Street and nothing is happening here, the riot police are resting," our correspondent reports from the town center.

VIDEO

17:50
The Romani assembly is continuing in a pleasant atmosphere. People are singing and enjoying themselves.

17:34
Police are continuing to intervene against the neo-Nazis in Duchcov. "An intervention took place here on Mír Street, there were about 300 people here, some neo-Nazis and some ‘gawkers’. Police used firecrackers and the crowd dispersed. The mob is not following the announced march route and that is evidently why police are intervening," a correspondent following the mob of aggressors tells us. 

17:28
The Czech News Agency reports that about 1 000 people participated in the right-wing extremist DSSS gathering.

17:20
"At the start of the gathering I clearly saw one participant give the Nazi salute and shout ‘gypsies to the gas chambers’," our correspondent says. DSSS leader Tomáš Vandas was speaking at the time.

FOTOGALERIE

17:15
The situation is very unpredictable. Even though the march was announced by DSSS organizers, no one is organizing it now. Some neo-Nazis have set off to march through the town once more, others went to drink in restaurants. "The hardcore aggressive neo-Nazis from Prague are here," our reporter on the scene says. The DSSS leadership bears full responsibility for today’s violence.

16:55
The neo-Nazis have gathered at the corner of Nádražní and Studniční Streets. Studniční Street leads back to Náměstí Legií, where the right-wing extremist gathering started. Police have blocked them on Nádražní Street. They do not intend to let the aggressors reach the Roma.

16:50
More details are coming in about the clash in Duchcov. According to information received by news server Romea.cz, approximately 80 neo-Nazis were involved in the attack. They threw cobblestones at police and injured one photographer and one woman. 

16:40
"I can confirm that we used the water cannon against the demonstrators. At this moment we know of two people injured, one of whom is a journalist," police spokesperson Poláčková confirms.

"It was a real melée. People were throwing cobblestones and all kinds of other objects. Most of the demonstrators seemed equipped with iron bars," TV NOVA reporter Martin Kočárek reports. 

16:32
The neo-Nazi march has ended at the Barbora fishpond. Some people are standing around in small groups. It’s not clear where the neo-Nazis are mobilizing their forces now or whether the whole event is over.

16:30
Ambulances can be seen on the streets of the town.

16:29
The neo-Nazi attack was evidently very well-planned. After marching a few meters, they put on balaclavas and attacked police officers. It is also interesting that Tomáš Vandas, who at other times has marched at the head of such parades, was not at the scene. He left after the speech-making part of the gathering ended.

16:25
"This is street warfare, the police have underestimated the situation. At one point a mere 15 officers were facing the aggressive neo-Nazi attack. I was struck by rocks several times, photographer Stanislav Krupař got his head cracked. It is very dangerous here," our correspondent on the scene reports.

16:16
Mounted police officers are intervening against the neo-Nazis. The sound of explosions can be heard and police are using tear gas. The aggressive neo-Nazis have decided to fight the police. They are throwing rocks and have sticks in their hands. The battle is taking place on Husova Street near the Barbora fishpond.

16:15
Speeches are being made at the peaceful Romani assembly.

16:08
Police for the time being have fought off the attack by the aggressive neo-Nazis. A journalist has been struck by the debris being thrown by neo-Nazis.

16:06
The neo-Nazis attempted to attack the peaceful Romani assembly and police are now intervening against the neo-Nazis. They are even using the water cannon. Our correspondent has seen one photographer and one police officer injured.

15:58
Our correspondent at the scene reports that the riot police are on the move and more vans are arriving. Police officers are working on Studniční Street.

VIDEO

15:47
Vandas has completed his speech. Our correspondent reports that about 700 people listened to him. "Most of them are evidently Duchcov residents, the rest are neo-Nazis," our correspondent says.

Our correspondent also reports that he himself has already become the target of several vulgar verbal attacks at the DSSS gathering.

15:31
"Our assembly is a different option for all of the residents of Duchcov. We would be very glad if the non-Romani residents also understood our intention, which is to help improve relations in the town, relations between the non-Romani and Romani populations. That is the aim of this assembly," news server Deník.cz quotes Ivanka Mariposa Čonková, one of the organizers of the Čikhatere het/ z bahna ven! ("Out of the Mud:) festival as saying.

15:30
The restaurant on Nádražní Street is full of neo-Nazis. Tomáš Vandas, who has been giving his usual speech for 30 minutes on Náměstí Legií, is of no interest to them. Why did they come to Duchcov?

15:28
Police have forced the organizers of the Romani event to close the DJ podium on Riegrova Street. Police in riot gear demanded identification from the sound technicians. The whole situation culminated in an argument that was finally calmed by local Romani residents.

15:20
Young artists from Krupka are rapping on the podium.

15:19
Czech MEP Jaromír Kohlíček, who is also a member of the city council in Teplice, has spoken at the Romani event. "I have always walked the path of a policy of tolerance. It does matter what kind of policy a politician advocates, and I advocate housing and jobs for all," the Communist MEP said. 

15:07
News server iDNES.cz reports that about 50 neo-Nazis have been fortifying themselves with alcohol in a restaurant on the outskirts of town near the on-ramp for the road to Teplice. Other small groups are gradually arriving by car.

15:05
"We have information that promoters of both left-wing and right-wing movements are heading to the town," police spokesperson Šárka Poláčková tells journalists.

15:00
Some "white" residents of Duchcov have jointed the DSSS extremists and neo-Nazis. News server Deník.cz estimates about 500 people are at the scene.

14:46
Small groups of hardcore neo-Nazi aggressors are roaming the town.

14:45
Right-wing extremists have begun erecting an improvised podium at Náměstí Legií. DSSS leader Tomáš Vandas is already there. "For now there are about 150 people here," our correspondent reports directly from the site of the right-wing extremist gathering.

14:35
At the site of the assembly and festival "For peace between people and peaceful coexistence in Duchcov" on Bratří Čapků Street there are about 250 people and more keep coming.

14:15
Police hold a press conference announcing that they have confiscated about 10 different kinds of weapons so far (bars, baseball bats, etc).

13:50
"The police definitely do not intend to intervene against peaceful assemblies or marches by local citizens. However, should felonies or misdemeanors be committed during these events, particularly ones with racial subtexts, we will be prepared to intervene immediately and uncompromisingly," says police spokesperson Jana Matonohová.

13:20
Police are supervising the arrival of vehicles into the town. "Police officers are monitoring every vehicle, searching their trunks and looking at their motors. They are evidently searching for weapons or objects that could be used as weapons," our correspondent reports.

13:15
Several police vehicles and 10 vans with riot officers have arrived at Náměstí Legií. A vehicle with a water cannon and an anti-extremist monitoring vehicle will remain on alert all afternoon.

13:05
A Roman Catholic priest is preaching from the main podium about hatred, sin, and the wrongheadedness of neo-Nazi ideology and racism.

12:50
The Čhikatar het / Z bahna ("Out of the Mud") festival has been officially opened. After welcoming the participants, songwriter Jakub Čermák started his concert on the main podium. He is accompanied on accordion by Ivan Bartoš, chair of the Czech Pirate Party (Pirátská strana). "A second stage is also being erected at the crossroads of Bratří Čapků and Riegrova Streets. DJs will play there," our correspondent on the scene reports.

12:40
The right-wing extremists have announced their anti-Roma gathering for 15:00 on the square called Náměstí Legií. The counter-assembly with the title "Out of the Mud", which is in support of Romani people, will run from 11:00 to 18:00 at the intersection of Bratří Čapků and Nádražní Streets.

12:10
In addition to the podium, a large party tent has been erected. The main poster for the festival shows a large Roma flag and the inscription "Roma Pride". Other signs read "Remove the Lety pig farm", "Hate is No Solution" and "Blacks, Whites, Let’s Join Forces".

12:00
The podium at the festival Čhikatar het / Z bahna ven (Out of the Mud) has been set up at the crossroads of Bratří Čapků and Nádražní Streets. "There are about 150 people here so far," news server Romea.cz’s correspondent at the scene reports.

11:50
As part of the festival "For peace between people and peaceful coexistence in Duchcov" a children’s day is being held in a safe separate location. A rich program for children has been prepared including music, painting, singing, etc.

10:00
A group of 15 activists laid flowers and lit candles at the memorial to anti-Fascist fighter Antonín Sochor in Duchcov. Sochor was a Czechoslovak soldier and recipient of the Order of the White Lion, a decorated Hero of the Soviet Union, and the recipient of seven other decorations and 14 other medals from a total of five other states. "If Sochor were alive today he would be standing here with us protesting the neo-Nazis and racists," activist Miroslav Brož told news server Romea.cz