Police in Czech Republic charge three assailants in Diamond Club attack with racial defamation

Police have charged three out of the four people arrested over an attack committed last year in front of the Diamond Club discotheque in České Budějovice. “Charges were filed for the crimes of grievous bodily harm, rioting, and defamation of a nation, race, ethnic or other group. Police are also investigating possible racial motivation for the attack,” Jiří Matzner, press spokesperson for the South Bohemian Police, told news server Romea.cz.

“It’s good the police are counting on investigating racial motivation for this crime. Now it’s important that the court proceedings begin and take place as soon as possible. The longer that takes, the worse it will be for the victims,” said Klára Kalibová, a lawyer who has long been involved in providing legal aid in the area of hate violence as director of the In IUSTITIA association.

A group of assailants using collapsible nightsticks brutally attacked and injured several patrons in front of the Diamond Club in the early morning hours of 31 October 2010. The incident was preceded by verbal clashes inside the discotheque. “Some girl sharply attacked my Romani girlfriend, saying she herself had been a Nazi since birth and that she couldn’t stand Romani people, and then she started a shoving match. When I stood up for my girlfriend, six men appeared and attacked me. The bouncers calmed the situation and we decided to leave the club,” one of the more seriously injured victims was quoted by wire services at the time.

According to the victim, the situation came to a head in front of the club, where a gang of aggressors was waiting for the group of victims. “There were six of us: Me, my Romani girlfriend, her Romani friend, and another three people. A group of roughly eight to 10 people caught up to us and shouted at us that we were ‘black swine’. Then they lunged at us with the collapsible night sticks and started beating us,” he said.

The assault did not end until one of the attacked girls yelled that she was calling the police. “When the attackers heard that, one of them yelled to the others that they should retreat. An ambulance and police officers then made it to the scene. I ended up on work disability with a cracked skull from the night sticks and a lacerated ear. Ever since then my girlfriend as had psychological problems and is afraid to leave the apartment. Every person with a short haircut looks like a skinhead to her,” the attacked Romani man said, adding that one of the assailants even threatened him with a knife.

According to the police spokesperson, the case is still in the hands of the police investigator, which means it is not possible to say when it will make it to trial or whether a trial is in the works. “Given the ongoing investigation, no more information can be released about the case,” Jiří Matzner said.

Provision of free legal aid to the victims of hate violence and the publicizing of cases of hate violence is being performed by ROMEA, o.s., thanks to the financial support of the “Remembrance, Responsibility, Future” Foundation and Open Society Fund Prague.