Two police officials have been demoted for district force's failure to intervene at neo-Nazi concert this month

Two Czech police officials have been demoted for their poor handling of a neo-Nazi concert that took place in southern Bohemian a week ago Saturday. Some 500 Czech skinheads and extremists from other countries attended the concert in the town of Kretetice u Strakonice. According to a complaint by observers from the anti-racist group Tolerance, police monitored the event, but failed to intervene when participants shouted Nazi slogans, a criminal offence in the Czech Republic. The president of the police presidium, Vladislav Husak, on Monday said he has demoted for one year both the regional and district deputy department heads directly responsible for the police action. He cited their failure to deploy a sufficient number of officers and to receive evidence of illegal behaviour from the independent observers as factors.

Author: Brian Kenety