Czech Republic: More than 200 people protest against neo-Nazi march in Ústí nad Labem

A march by the right-wing extremist Workers’ Social Justice Party (Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti – DSSS) and its supporters through the center of the Czech town of Ústí nad Labem has taken place without any serious problems. Police addressed several small scuffles involving anti-fascists.

Three anti-fascists were arrested for assaulting police officers in an anti-conflict team. The assembly was also monitored by observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

The DSSS had announced that 500 people would be assembling, but only 200 right-wing extremists made it to Ústí nad Labem today. More than 200 anti-fascists and Romani people from the Předlice quarter, where nonprofit organizations were holding their own assemblies and children’s programs, stood up to the neo-Nazi march near the Mánesový sady park.  

Anarchists from Germany were among the opponents of neo-Nazism in Ústí nad Labem today. The streets were closed by riot police and the anti-fascists and neo-Nazis were kept about 200 meters apart. 

"The march took place without disturbing public order," police spokesperson Šárka Poláčková said. Police addressed small clashes that occurred at the end of the march, when two smaller groups of anarchists stood up to the right-wing radicals and were separated by riot police.  

Just before noon a group of about 10 anti-fascists assaulted police officers in an anti-conflict team. "In connection with an attack on police officers we have arrested three persons," Poláčková said, adding that detectives have qualified the case as one of misdemeanor incidents.

Right-wing radicals from northern Moravia brought hard plastic shanks with them to town today, but police confiscated them at the train station. "We confiscated a total of 19 weapons, most of them were shanks and sticks," Poláčková said.  

Police deployed as many as 700 police officers onto the streets, including riot units from Liberec Region, the South Moravian Region, and Ústí Region. Poláčková says the extraordinary security measures will remain in place, as most of the right-wing radicals are still in town for the time being. 

The DSSS supporters have divided up into smaller groups and are primarily heading to local restaurants. Public transit has returned to normal operations after running alternate routes due to the closure of several stops in the town center.