Prague, Feb 8 (CTK) – The police failed when they had not intervened against the masked men attacking a march of leftist activists heading for Prague Castle on Saturday and responsibility should be determined to the commanders of the action, Czech Justice Minister Robert Pelikan (ANO) said on Monday.
Interior Minister Milan Chovanec (CSSD) said some time was needed to check the police activities and rejected “political trials.”
Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) said the government expected a comprehensive and independent police investigation into the Saturday attack on the Klinika social center.
A group of masked men attacked it. The police are now investigating it over breach of the peace and damage to property.
Pelikan said the affair did not require a two-week investigation as planned by Interior Minister Milan Chovanec (Social Democrats, CSSD), but the commanders of the action should be held responsible.
“The police work has failed,” Pelikan told journalists after a government meeting on Monday.
Pelikan stressed no one was allowed to have a masked face and weapon at a public rally under law.
“However, we have a video recording with armed people and masked faces. They are being quietly watched by a police group. I do not think there is any reason to continue with the investigation,” Pelikan said.
Chovanec took issue with the view, arguing that a consistent investigation needed some time.
“The justice minister does not even have so much sense of justice as to allow two weeks for a regular investigation?” Chovanec wrote on Twitter.
“Political trials already were here,” he added, hinting at the beginning of the Communist rule in the 1950s.
Sobotka said it was important to investigate the attack on Klinika and to uncover its perpetrators.
The government returned to the Saturday events and united its attitude at its Monday’s meeting, he added.
“Any intimidation, spread of hatred or even violence is unacceptable in a democratic society,” Sobotka said.
“Those violating law must reckon with the state punishing such conduct,” Sobotka told journalists.
According to the initial information, a group of masked persons threw Molotov cocktails on the centre. The firefighters extinguished the fire within four minutes.
Klinika said neo-Nazis attacked it and set a part of the cafe in the complex on fire. More than 20 people were present in the building then. Klinika puts the attack in connection with the Saturday anti-Islam demonstrations.
Klinika recently organised a collection of clothing for refugees.
Sobotka said democratic society had to protect the values on which it was based.
“The government expects the law-enforcement bodies to act consistently and independently,” he added.
“It is vital that the attack should be investigated and that the perpetrators were uncovered,” Sobotka said.
The attack was also denounced by Deputy Prime Minister Pavel Belobradek (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL).
“Molotov cocktails have no place in democracy, they are part of the state of war. We have to dismiss thoroughly such things,” Belobradek said.
Homeless people and drug addicts inhabited Klinika in the past. In December 2014, activists illegally occupied the building and cleaned it of wastes. The police first drove them out because the General Inspection of Security Corps was interested in the building as its seat.
Last year, the Office for Government Representation in Property Affairs lent the building to Klinika. The free loan expires in March. Klinika offers concerts, language courses, the screening of films and lectures.
