Divisive Ondráček to step down as police oversight committee chief

Zdeněk Ondráček is to step down as chairman of the lower house committee overseeing the General Inspectorate of the Security Forces, the agency that monitors the police, Czech Television reported on Tuesday.

The Communist MP, who beat protesters as a riot squad officer prior to the Velvet Revolution, had been facing removal by the Chamber of Deputies.

Most of the parties in the lower house had given their backing to a motion tabled by the Civic Democrats to strip him of the position at a session on Tuesday.

On Monday evening thousands of people protested against Mr. Ondráček’s appointment in Prague, Brno and other Czech cities.

Demonstrators also criticised the prime minister in resignation, Andrej Babiš of ANO. Some of his party’s deputies backed Mr. Ondráček in a vote on Friday but two days later Mr. Babiš said he was for the removal of the divisive committee chairman.