Slovakia: Two men charged with assaulting black basketball player

Police in the Slovak town of Nitra charged two 21-year-old men yesterday with attacking Jean Rony Cadot, a black basketball player for the Nitra team. The assault was sparked by an argument in the Devil’s Pub in Nitra after someone spilled a drink on Cadot’s pants there.

The assailants have been charged with rioting, battery and racial hatred. They shouted racist epithets at the athlete during the assault.

Slovak Police President Tibor Gašpar says the indictment is seeking to remand the two suspects into custody and a court will soon decide whether to do so. Police are concerned the suspects might continue their criminal activity because, among other reasons, they followed Cadot all the way to the hospital after attacking him and were most probably determined to continue their assault on him even there.

"We are also considering charging other persons. We are working with a total of six suspects, four of whom probably actively participated in the assault," Gašpar said. The attack occurred on 14 February in front of the Devil’s Pub.