Apr 26, 2025

Neo-Nazi Group Salutes in Wenceslas Square, Flees Before Arrest

Kathy Zabinski

Kathy Zabinski

Around 30 neo-Nazis performed Nazi salutes on Saturday afternoon at the statue of Saint Wenceslas in Pragueโ€™s Wenceslas Square.

Captured by a security camera, the group had already dispersed before police arrived. According to Czech television stations Prima and Nova, many of the individuals likely traveled from Germany.

Eyewitnesses reported that most members of the group climbed onto the statueโ€™s base. One individual stood in front, raising his right hand in a Nazi salute, prompting the others to respond similarly. The act was reportedly accompanied by shouts of โ€œSieg heil,โ€ according to Prima.

โ€œThere were about thirty of them, and they mostly spoke German. Before the police, who were called by someone nearby, could arrive, they had disappeared. People around did nothingโ€”some groups even chose to leave the area,โ€ an eyewitness wrote in an email to the television station.

Although Wenceslas Square is supposed to be patrolled by police 24 hours a day, officers failed to reach the scene in time. โ€œI cannot say exactly how long it took us to get there. When officers arrived, no one from the group remained. Our investigation revealed that the individuals had already taken the metro,โ€ Prague police spokeswoman Eva Broลพovรก told Nova.

Police face considerable challenges in identifying the individuals involved. Beyond the likelihood that they were foreigners, reports suggest authorities did not thoroughly examine the security footage.

According to the 2006 Annual Report by the Czech Security Information Service (BIS), the neo-Nazi movement within the Czech Republic operates without centralized leadership. Instead, it functions through small, autonomous regional groups acting independently.

This concept of โ€œautonomous nationalismโ€โ€”organizing without a dominant figureโ€”is also prevalent among neo-Nazi movements across Europe. Czech extremists are believed to draw inspiration from abroad, with visits from German neo-Nazi groups reportedly becoming more frequent.

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