It's Just Jews We Want To Intimidate

Prague bans extremists' march through Jewish district
The Prague City Hall today banned a march of Czech right-wing extremists through the former Jewish Town that was originally planned for November 10, the anniversary of a Nazi anti-Jewish pogrom, the City Hall has informed CTK.
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The Young National Democrats, organisers of the march officially announced as "a protest against the Czech Republic's participation in the occupation of Iraq" can appeal the City Hall's decision with the Municipal Court.

The Prague authority explained that the announced purpose of the march leads to the incitement to intolerance and hatred against citizens on the basis of their ethnicity, origin and religious conviction, which is one of legal reasons for banning such an event.

The extremists' march was originally scheduled for the anniversary of the Kristallnacht in Germany in 1938 when tens of Jews were killed and tens of thousands of them were deported to concentration camps. The plan therefore stirred up sharp protests.

The City Hall said previously it did not agree with the march, but it cannot officially ban it as it was declared to be a demonstration against the Czech participation in the Iraqi war. It offered to the organisers to change the route.

March organiser Erik Sedlacek told the City Hall on Wednesday that he would postpone the march until November 17, which is a national holiday - the Day of the Fight for Freedom and Democracy, marking the beginning of the collapse of communism in 1989.

"We are aware that the staging of a march on this day may have a certain negative undertone and make an inappropriate impression," Sedlacek said, explaining the change of the event's date.

Not exactly the ideal candidate for MENSA.

However, the City Hall could not allow the march on November 17 as the Jewish Liberal Union announced earlier to hold a meeting in the streets of the Jewish Quarter on the same day. The union actually reserved the place for all days from October until the end of the year.

The City Hall has ordered expert opinions from Zdenek Zboril, expert in extremism, and the police.

Zboril's opinion shows that Sedlacek is connected with the National Resistence [sic] movement whose activities focus on the promotion of nationalism and anti-Semitism and his stances can be close to neo-Nazists', the City Hall says.

The police reported that Sedlacek is a very active supporter of the neo-Nazi movement in the Czech Republic, in particular the National Resistance. The City Hall has allegedly also information from the past that Sedlacek might have links to the National Resistance.

"It is apparent from the above mentioned reasons that the formally announced purpose of the meeting convoked by Erik Sedlacek, that is 'a protest against the Czech Republic's participation in the occupation of Iraq,' is only fictitious," the City Hall justified its decision to ban the march.

The extremists planned a similar march last December, but the City Hall banned it over its possible disturbance of municipal traffic. In March the court cancelled the decision and the Prague City Hall had to accept it.

The extremists then announced a new date of their march.

The Jewish Liberal Union convoked a commemorative meeting in Parizska street, in Prague's Jewish district, for November 10.

Via Ceské Noviny

Neither Frau Erika Steinbach nor David Irving was available for comment.