Extremists gather in Prague

Two extreme right-wing groups, the Dělnická strana (DS) and the Národní strana (NS), want to exploit today’s 90th anniversary of the creation of an independent Czechoslovakia by holding demonstrations in Prague. DS supporters will gather in the afternoon on Jiřího z Poděbrad square, while NS supporters will gather in the early evening on Wenceslas Square. Police have evaluated the DS event as high-risk, as the party is connected with ultra-right wing and neo-Nazi groups such as Národní odpor ("National Resistance" – NO).

On its web pages, DS announces it will celebrate the state holiday on 28 October by holding a gathering entitled the "Day of National Unity", which is to be aimed "against the system and for the nation". Representatives of various organizations are to give speeches at the event. DS also wants to officially launch its campaign for next year’s EP elections at the gathering. Several civic associations have recently called for the DS to be dissolved.

The nationalist NS has called on people to come support "the only pro-national political party in the Czech Republic" at its celebration of the creation of the Czechoslovak Republic. The NS meeting is scheduled to be preceded by the screening of the controversial anti-Muslim film Fitna ("Disagreement") by the extreme right-wing Dutch MP Geert Wilders. NS chair Petra Edelmannová and British National Party chair Nick Griffin will then speak.