Extremist rally in Varnsdorf ends without incident

Varnsdorf, North Bohemia, Jan 29 (CTK) - A public rally called by the Czech far-right Workers' Party of Social Justice (DSSS) was attended by about 400 people, mostly local residents, as well as several tens of its followers from outside the region yesterday.

After the rally, its participants set out on a march to the town districts inhabited by the "unadaptable" (Romany) population.

There were no conflicts during the two-hour event watched by the police.

The DSSS is a successor to the outlawed ultra-right Workers' Party (DS).

The DSSS meeting was directly motivated by the death of a 62-year woman after an attack by a group of Romanies on her and her family in Varnsdorf on January 1.

However, doubts emerged whether her death was really caused by the attack as she was allegedly seriously ill for some time. The police have ordered a forensic autopsy to find the exact cause of her death.

DSSS leader Tomas Vandas delivered a speech to the crowd.

The marchers walked twice past the Sport dormitory primarily occupied by Romanies. It is considered one of the most troublesome parts of the town.

The DSSS demonstrators were carrying flags and banners one of which said Stop Black Racism. They chanted the slogan "Nothing but Nation" that started to be used by rightist activists in Czechoslovakia in the 1930s.

The demonstrators lit up candles and stood a few moments in silence before the place where Romanies attacked the group of people including the woman who later died in hospital.

They were watched by some Romanies from the windows, but there were no conflicts.

There were police vans, riot police and police helicopters over the town.

Crime has been rising lately in Varnsdorf and other towns in northern Bohemia's Sluknov area, notorious for tense relations between the majority population and Romanies. Local residents blame Romanies for crimes, mainly frequent thefts and assaults.