Plzen authority bans anti-neo-Nazi meeting in fear of conflict

A district hall in Plzen today banned a meeting a local resident planned to stage outside the Grand Synagogue in protest against anti-Semitism on March 1, when a neo-Nazis march is to pass by, Mayor Jiri Strobach said today.

The hall has banned the meeting in fear of a possible conflict between the neo-Nazis and their opponents, he said.

Strobach said no other events have been scheduled for March 1.

In recent days, the district hall banned a meeting the Plzen Jewish Community wanted to hold on March 1.

The Jewish Community previously announced to the authorities it plans to hold everyday meetings from February 12 to July 31 this year outside both of Plzen’s synagogues and also in the park where Jews gathered during World War Two before being transported to the Terezin (Theresienstadt) ghetto.

Plzen Jewish Community head Eva Stixova said the long-term blockading of the selected sites was a way to prevent any further march of right-wing extremists.

The district hall nodded to the community’s plan but only banned it from holding its meeting on March 1.

"On Friday we will discuss whether to challenge the ban in court," said Stixova.

Strobach said such an extent of booking of sites for everyday meetings is unusual. The law does not reckon with similar situations. Not even if the Jewish Community failed to hold any of the announced meetings, the law does not allow the hall to cancel the other dates they had booked, he said.

The neo-Nazis originally announced their march for January 19, the anniversary of the first transport of Plzen Jews to Terezin in 1942. Plzen Mayor Pavel Roedl banned the march two days before it was to be held. Later, on February 1, the court decided that the ban had been unjustified.

The court recognised the complaint by the march organiser, Vaclav Bures, that there were no legal reasons to ban the event. Bures was therefore given a chance to organise another meeting, which he announced for March 1.