Slovak Police arrest neo-Nazis suspected of brutally assaulting Romani people and other persons of color in the center of Bratislava
In an extensive operation, Slovak Police have arrested more than 20 persons suspected of committing violent attacks motivated by extremism. A masked group of neo-Nazis has been assaulting people from minority groups on the streets of Bratislava, chiefly dark-skinned men.
Romani people were among those targeted by the attacks. The persons arrested so far include juveniles and one woman.
According to the Slovak media, the assailants chose their victims randomly from among the minority members whom they targeted. The attacks happened mostly in the center of Bratislava’s Old Town, especially in the vicinity of Kamenné náměstí and Hotel Kyjev.
The group wore mostly dark clothing with balaclavas or hoods, covering their faces with bandanas decorated with clowns or skulls. They wore heavy black boots on their feet.
Attacks motivated by bias are very serious and frequently ignored. Have you become the victim of a bias crime in the Czech Republic? Call the free phone line of the In IUSTITIA organization, 800 922 922, or contact the ROMEA, o.p.s. organization.
The assaults always involved multiple attackers per victim and those targeted were brutally beaten without warning. The aggressors filmed the violent deeds on their mobile phones and shared the footage on social media platforms such as Telegram or TikTok.
Slovak Police performed raids on several sites in Bratislava. Some members of the group were arrested in schools, others on the street or during house searches.
“We can confirm that officers from the Criminal Police Department of the Police Corps Regional Directorate in Bratislava have implemented tasks related to clarifying violent and extremist criminal activity in the early morning hours today,” police said in an official statement on Wednesday, 21 May. Social workers were involved in the investigation with regard to the juvenile suspects.
According to Slovak authorities, the number of those arrested is not necessarily the total number of those involved in the assaults on persons of color. Slovak Police started investigating the case on the basis of information reported by the media at the beginning of 2025.
The first evidence that these were organized assaults by a neo-Nazi group came to light at that time. The criminal prosecution started on 28 January.
Members of the group could be charged with multiple counts of extremist crimes including the promotion of Nazism and spreading hatred toward minorities.
