Police in Prague arrested a man who allegedly threatened to carry out a shooting at the Faculty of Arts at Charles University on Friday afternoon.

The incident sparked a major police operation in the city center, with officers securing the area and launching an urgent search for the suspect, who initially fled the scene.

According to Jan Daněk, a police spokesperson, the man entered the Faculty of Arts building on Jan Palach Square and displayed alarming behavior, making threats about shooting in the premises.

“We are actively searching for a man who exhibited abnormal behavior and spoke of shooting,” Daněk informed Novinky shortly after 3:00 p.m.

Following the threat, the suspect left the area, prompting an intensive search operation involving dozens of officers in Prague’s historic center.

Police efforts led to the suspect being detained within half an hour of the initial report. The individual was reportedly apprehended shortly before 3:30 p.m.

Further details about the man, including his identity or potential motives, have not yet been disclosed.

 

V centru Prahy aktuálně pátráme po muži, který přišel do budovy Filosofické fakulty UK na náměstí Jana Palacha, choval se nestandardně a mluvil o střelbě. Na místě jsou desítky policistů a hledají ho. #policiepha

— Policie ČR (@PolicieCZ) November 29, 2024

Last year, fourteen people were killed and 25 injured, in a shooting at Charles University’s Faculty of Arts in Prague. The gunman, who began shooting on the fourth floor of the building, later committed suicide.

 

 

 

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The Czech Athletics Federation announced that it will be ‘back on the track’ with a six-meeting series to launch in June.

The Czech government’s plan to ease restrictions imposed to control the new coronavirus pandemic will open 100 stadiums across the country to athletes from 1 June.That, coupled with the decision to allow public gatherings of up to 50 people from 25 May, has allowed the national governing body to organize a series of six “micro-meetings”.

The first, set for Sletiste stadium in Kladno on 1 June, will officially kick off the season and will be broadcast live by the Czech national broadcaster CT.

Programs and details are still being confirmed, but the Kladno meeting’s timetable will include a women’s javelin, men’s shot put and men’s 300m. Czech stars Barbora Spotakova, Tomas Stanek and Pavel Maslak have already confirmed their participation – and they can’t wait.

“Athletes want to compete as soon as possible and our federation has found a way to arrange events with a limited number of fifty people,” said Libor Varhanik, Czech Athletic Federation president. “We want to engage athletes of all age categories and performance levels.”

To that end, more than 100 additional competitions will be organized for children and youth athletes across the country on 1 June. The aim of the initiative, Varhanik said, is for all athletes to be together, at least symbolically, at the start of this year’s competitive season.

“That’s why we jumped in together on the first of June at 100 and more athletic stadiums under the slogan, ‘Back on the Track’.” Varhanik said the federation put out the call to its regional and club organizations over the weekend to gauge interest for the first meeting. “According to the responses, it will be enormous,” he said.

The “Back on the Track” project will be connected across the country via social networks, providing video and photo coverage with the hashtag #BackOnTheTrack.

Federation officials stress that all competitions are being organized to align firmly with government rules expected to be in force on 1 June.