Prague, Aug 31 (CTK) – There exist no legal reasons to ban the event which the Initiative of Martin Konvicka (IMK) wants to stage outside Saudi Arabia’s embassy on September 11, Vit Hofman, spokesman for the Prague City Hall, told CTK on Wednesday, adding that the organiser does not want to relocate it.
He said the Foreign Minister asked the City Hall to ban the rally or to move elsewhere.
Ten days ago, the IMK staged an anti-Islamic event in the Old Town Square and caused panic among those present.
The scheduled event is to mark the 15th anniversary of attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York.
“In our capacity as the host country, we are responsible for the security of diplomatic missions of other countries. In the locality where the event is to take place there is a number of diplomatic missions and diplomats’ residences,” Irena Valentova, spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, told CTK.
“The City Hall must abide by law and there exist no legal reasons to ban the rally. We will pay heightened attention to the rally together with the police and City Hall clerks will be on the site,” Hofman said.
Mayor of Prague Adriana Krnacova (ANO) cricised City Hall clerks for not having banned Konvicka’s previous event.
She said the respective clerk made a mistake and that she will draw personnel consequences from this.
The Prague police investigate the IMK’s event in the Old Town Square at which IMK members arrived dressed like Islamic State militants and they were shooting from dummy weapons as breach of the peace. They do not rule out the suspicion of scare-mongering.
Interior Minister Milan Chovanec (CSSD) said the police did not make a mistake when they did not act against the event, adding that City Hall clerks have the powers to end an event. They did so when panic broke out on the square.
