Ombudsman says police crackdown was legal

Ombudsman Otakar Motejl says the police crackdown on a techno music rave in July of this year, which left several dozen people injured, was legal. The Ombusdsman's Office undertook an investigation into the affair, following widespread criticism of the police who used brute force, water canon and tear gas to disperse the participants. In his report the Ombudsman says that the police acted within the bounds of the law since the rave had spilled over onto private property. On the other hand he expressed the view that the officers present failed to take adequate preventive measures that might have helped to avoid the later use of force.