Prague 6 mayor under police protection amid Konev statue controversy

The mayor of Prague 6, Ondřej Kolář, is under police protection after receiving death threats in connection with a decision to cover up a controversial statue of Soviet army commander Ivan Konev in the district. The local authority had the monument, which has repeatedly been vandalised, surrounded by a tarpaulin mounted on scaffolding on Friday. Activists then pulled down the tarpaulin, before it was later put back.

Two people were arrested after another attempt to remove the cover on Friday night while another man pulled it down on Saturday.

The Russian Embassy said the statute actually needed to be protected from the Prague 6 council. The local authority has proposed moving it to a park close to the embassy.