Mayor of Nový Bydžov facing criminal charges for his racist statements

Hradec Králové police are investigating the criminal charges filed by Robert Pelikán of the Prague-based attorney office Vrána&Pelikán against the Mayor of Nový Bydžov, Pavel Louda (ODS), for the racist statements he made against the Roma last year. Pelikán considered it his civic obligation to take the step of filing charges.

The attorney says he was primarily moved to file charges against Louda, whose statements he learned of through the media, because of the inaction of the Czech Police. “I am convinced that we are living in a state that has been founded on certain values, including the rule of law. If a public official violates those values , and if the police do not take action on their own, then that is a good reason for me to take action to fulfill my civic obligations,” Pelikán told news server Parlamentnilisty.cz.

Pelikán explained what he believes the mayor’s main error to have been. “If someone is making distinctions between the so-called decent citizens and the ‘Gypsies’, then in my legal opinion that is incitement to racial hatred,” Pelikán said.

According to Mayor Louda, Pelikán filed several charges against him immediately. “I had the opportunity to familiarize myself with the charges at the police station, there is a list of crimes I am accused of committing. I gave them an explanation as to what led me to make my statements, and everything now depends on the state prosecutor,” Louda told news server Parlamentnilisty.cz.

Mayor Louda was interrogated by police regarding his statements on 2 February. “I gave them my explanation and I will wait to see what develops,” Louda said. He claims that when he wrote the statements he definitely did not believe they were racist. “I believe this is being unnecessarily dramatized, that some wannabe is trying to get publicity,” Louda said, adding that he himself had not been interested in publicity but in drawing attention to the allegedly immensely complicated problem in Nový Bydžov and finally getting some action taken there.

Louda has invited other mayors to a meeting in Nový Bydžov on 14 February to discuss the issue of crime. He is counting on the participation of Czech MP Řápková (ODS), the former mayor of Chomutov.

Last year Mayor Louda published an article on the town hall’s website which include statements such as the following: “They are shouting in the streets, threatening people, including with knives, and committing theft and rape. While all decent people are at work, the Gypsies hang out on the benches on the town square, contentedly shooting the breeze.”

The Hradec Králové police spokesperson would only confirm that Louda has given an official statement to police. “The investigation is still underway,” the spokesperson said.