Czech Police confirm football fans were behind Friday attack on the Romani community of Sokolov

Karlovy Vary Regional Police confirmed to the Czech News Agency today through their spokesperson, Jakub Kopřiva, that those involved in Friday’s altercation between locals and a small group of aggressive out-of-town young men near the Sokolov train station included several “ultras”, fans of a team that plays at the highest level of the Czech football industry. Thirteen people sustained injuries as a result of the incident, which is being investigated by police as rioting. 

“After our investigations we are able to confirm that some of the individuals from the boaters group are so-called ultras, fans of a team that plays at the highest level of the Czech football industry,” the spokesperson said. “Currently we are still questioning those directly involved in the altercation as well as eyewitnesses to the event.”

“Detectives are also assessing video footage from the Sokolov municipal CCTV system as well as videos that were filmed during the incident and then posted to social media,” the spokesperson said. The police have not yet revealed which club it is that the fans involved in Friday’s incident follow. 

The Antifa.cz server, however, has published the names and photographs of those they have identified as the assailants from selfies that they posted during their trip to Sokolov, adding that they are hardcore Slavia Prague hooligans. News server Romea.cz has found those same faces among the videos filmed just after the Sokolov scuffle ended with an intervention by police. 

During Friday’s attack, the hooligans injured 10 Romani men and women near the train station. Three of the out-of-town attackers were also injured during their rampage.

The most serious injury was sustained by a 52-year-old woman, a Sokolov resident, whose arm was broken. From the investigation performed so far, police have not yet determined whether any of those injured were juveniles or minors.