Czech car manufacturer Škoda distances itself from video by German ultra-right rapper

Škoda Auto has distanced itself from a video called "Fabia" by a controversial German rapper, Chris Ares, who has used a Fabia brand car manufactured by Škoda in both his lyrics and the video for that new song. Ares, whose civilian name is Christoph Aljoscha Zloch, is considered a right-wing extremist by authorities in Germany.

In the video, the leading representative of ultra-right rap in Germany shows a personal vehicle produced by the company in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic more than once. It is said to symbolize the vehicle of an "ordinary person".

"I don't need a million, all I do is drive around in my Fabia. I want us to do well, and that's why they all call me a radical," the rapper, who lives in Munich, sings in the video.

The rapper presents himself as "one of the people" in the song, which is simply called "Fabia". The lyrics claim "I never wanted a car or money."

At the same time, however, the rapper emphasizes that he is remaining a radical and reminds listeners of the etymology of the word, from the Latin term "radix", or "root". The Czech company's sales department in Germany has assured consumers on Twitter that Škoda has nothing to do with Ares and did not provide him a vehicle for the purposes of filming the video.

"Škoda Auto stands for openness, tolerance and diversity," the company emphasized, referencing the fact that the Bavarian State Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Germany considers Ares an ultra-right member of the identitarian movement. "We fundamentally distance ourselves from any extremist opinions or positions."

The Bavarian authorities consider the rapper an adherent of the so-called identitiarian movement, which is against multiculturalism and claims to combat the alleged "loss of identity" of European nations they believe is happening because of immigration. Bavaria is the biggest state in the Federal Republic of Germany.