Czech far-right extremists insist on marching through Prague's Jewish quarter

Czech far-right extremists insist on marching through Prague's Jewish quarter on Saturday, the anniversary of the Nazi pogrom of 1938 known as Kristallnacht, despite the official ban. Earlier on Thursday, Prague City Court refused to lift the ban issued by Prague Town Hall. The Jewish Liberal Union has already reserved the venue for its own event to pay tribute to the victims of the pogrom and to prevent the neo-Nazis from marching through the Jewish quarter. Prague Town Hall has declared it will dissolve the extremists march on the spot.

The Interior Ministry announced on Wednesday that the Czech Republic would be cooperating with other countries ahead of any potential unauthorised demonstration. Some 1,400 police officers will be deployed on Saturday to prevent street fights. There have been suggestions that extremists from neighbouring Slovakia and Germany may try to attend the march.

In related news, the Czech government members assured the Jewish community on Thursday that they consider all form of attacks on its members as completely unacceptable. The director of the Jewish Museum in Prague, Leo Pavlat, said the extremists plan to abuse the Kristallnacht anniversary will eventually have a positive effect, showing that civic society and democratic principles function.

Author: Ruth Fraňková