Czech Republic: Prague 14 calls on citizens not to interfere with neo-Nazi assembly and march today

A neo-Nazi march is scheduled to take place today in Prague. Organizers did not announce it to City Hall but only to the local municipality of Prague 14, which means the event was not listed in the online database of announced assemblies.

The Prague 14 municipality has issued the following call to its citizens:

"Today, 26 July 2013, an assembly and march will take place on the territory of the Prague 14 Municipal Department in the area in front of the Černý Most metro station from 17:00 to 21:00. The march will start at the metro station and will continue down the following streets:  Bryksova, Breitcetlova, Dygrýnova, Vašátkova, Ocelkova and then back to the metro. The leadership of the Prague 14 Municipal Department is closely cooperating with the Municipal Police and the Police of the Czech Republic to ensure the protection of residents’ health and property. We believe it is in the best interest of the citizens to refrain from interfering in any way whatsoever with the activities related to this event."

České Budějovice bans similar event

The České Budějovice town hall has banned a similar event and published its justification for doing so, which includes the information that the organizers of the event are right-wing extremists. It also includes the following:

"The Law on the Right to Assembly serves the citizens in making it possible for them to exercise their freedom of speech and other constitutional rights and freedoms, to exchange information and opinions, and to participate in addressing different perspectives and positions on public and social issues. On the other hand, exercise of the right to free speech must not disproportionately interfere with other citizens’ rights or prevent their enjoyment of those rights. Among the reasons for banning an assembly listed in Section 10 of the Law on the Right to Assembly is the determination that the announced purpose of the assembly verges on a general call to violate the Constitution and the laws or to commit gross indecency or violence. Another reason to ban an assembly is misuse of an announced purpose when the actual purpose of the assembly verges on denying or suppressing the personal, political or other rights of citizens because of their nationality, origin, political or other sensibilities, race, religious affiliation, sex or social position, or when the actual purpose of the assembly verges on inciting hatred and intolerance for any of those reasons."