Respekt editor-in-chief the victim of vicious attack

The editor-in-chief of the independent weekly Respekt Tomas Nemecek is in hospital after being attacked by unknown assailants on Saturday morning. The attack took place outside Mr Nemecek's home in Prague. Two men estimated to be in their early twenties assaulted the journalist by first spraying tear gas in his face and kicking him repeatedly in the head. The assailants then escaped the scene, leaving passers-by to take Mr Nemecek to hospital. There he was treated for cuts and bruises and a mild concussion. Police have begun investigating whether the assault was a chance happening or a motivated attack against Mr Nemecek's paper, currently involved in lawsuits with several businesses and political groups.