Slovak neo-Nazis attack Mexican students, activists say

Slovak neo-Nazi supporters attacked four students, three from Mexico and one from Spain, during the weekend in Bratislava, Maria Candrakova from the People against racism association told CTK today.

Skin-headed young men allegedly hit and kicked one of the students and aimed a pistol at another one.

Candrakova said that the foreign students left Slovakia for a week-long study trip. She said that they wanted to report the attack to the Slovak police after their return.

The students wrote one of their teacher they they plan to inform the organisers of the exchange programme within which they study at Bratislava’s university that similar attacks occur from time to time. They said this had not been the first attack against them, Candrakova said.

In 2006, Slovak police registered 188 racially motivated attacks. However, Candrakova says that many other victims have not reported the incidents. She said that the number and popularity of neo-Nazis are growing in Slovakia.