Centre of Ústí largely empty except for police ahead of neo-Nazi march

Residents in Ústí nad Labem have taken precautions ahead of a neo-Nazi march planned for Saturday evening. Earlier in the day, the north Bohemian city was described as almost empty of local inhabitants, with stores, restaurants and bars closed, some boarded up. Some 1,000 officers will monitor the march. Throughout the day, the police checked key areas for items that could be used as potential weapons. Police are also guarding sites such as the city’s railway station. It has been estimated that some 500 right-wing extremists could show up, some of them from neighbouring Germany, while around 100 anarchists could try to clash with them. The Czech far-right group behind the march has said it is marking the 64th anniversary of the bombing of the city in 1945. But observers say the real reason is to mark the upcoming anniversary of the birth of Adolf Hitler.

Author: Jan Velinger