Czech Police investigating assault on a Romani man in Kutná Hora, local Romani residents are planning to demonstrate today
On Monday, a video filmed in Kutná Hora, Czech Republic was posted to social media showing a Romani man being assaulted by a man speaking Ukrainian in an incident from Sunday. The footage shows other apparently Ukrainian men on the scene, some of whom can be seen evidently endeavoring to drag the drunken attacker away to prevent him from perpetrating any more aggression.
In the late afternoon on Monday, a group of about 30 Romani people assembled in Kutná Hora and discussed the incident with police. A demonstration is planned for 17:00 CET today there.
Police are investigating the case, as is Romani community member Cyril Koky, the Central Bohemian Regional Coordinator for Ethnic Minorities. Police spokesperson Pavel Truxa told news server Romea.cz that, “The Kutná Hora police are investigating the circumstances of the incident that happened in the evening hours of Sunday, 28 April. According to the information obtained so far, a scuffle broke out in front of a bar in Kutná Hora between two men, during which a 42-year-old man assaulted a man who was one year older than him.”
“The police have opened a criminal proceedings for suspected disorderly conduct and are currently performing all the procedures necessary to clarify this entire incident. The case is supervised by the District Attorney’s Office in Kutná Hora,” the police spokesperson said.
“This morning I spoke with the manager of the Department of Social Affairs in Kutná Hora and with the director of the local police to get more information about the case,” Koky told news server Romea.cz. “I met with the director of the local Territorial Department in the presence of a representative of the Police Presidium and the Central Bohemian Regional Police Directorate.”
“These guys were sitting in a pub and an incident transpired during which serious bodily harm, a physical assault, was committed,” Koky said, adding that he has met with Mayor Lukáš Seifert and Vice-Mayor Josef Viktora. “Coexistence in this town has always been peaceful, so I am very sorry this has happened. The injured party’s condition will not require long hospitalization. Local Romani residents have announced a demonstration, which I also regret, personally I would prefer these problems be solved with the competent persons,” he said, adding that he will also meet with local Roma ahead of the demonstration.
Czech Government Commissioner for Roma Minority Affairs Lucie Fuková has commented as follows: “I thank Cyril Koky, the Regional Romani Coordinator, and everybody else who is interested in focusing on this matter and supporting a fair investigation. I am taking an interest in whether the Police of the Czech Republic are proceeding in accordance with the law in this specific case.”
“I consider it absolutely essential for municipal Romani Councils to function in such cases as crucial communicators. This incident indicates once again that it is necessary to set up municipal Romani Councils throughout the country to communicate with representatives of the local Romani community and exchange opinions with them,” Fuková said.
