Far-Right Extremists Gather for Disturbing Salute in Prague’s Wenceslas Square
On Saturday afternoon, approximately 30 neo-Nazis gathered at the statue of Saint Wenceslas located in Wenceslas Square, Prague, where they performed Nazi salutes.
Security cameras captured the incident, but by the time the police arrived, the group had already dispersed. Czech television stations Prima and Nova reported that many participants probably traveled from Germany.
Witnesses noted that most of the individuals climbed onto the base of the statue. One person positioned himself in front of the statue, raising his right hand in a Nazi salute, which prompted the others to mimic the gesture. This act was reportedly accompanied by chants of “Sieg heil,” according to reports from Prima.
“There were about thirty of them, and the majority spoke German. Before the police, who were alerted by someone in the area, could respond, they had vanished. Bystanders hardly intervened—some groups even chose to exit the vicinity,” an eyewitness shared in an email with the television station.
Although Wenceslas Square is supposed to have police presence 24 hours a day, officers were unable to arrive on time. “I can’t specify exactly how long it took us to get there. By the time officers arrived, no one from the group was left. Our investigation showed that they had already boarded the metro,” stated Prague police spokeswoman Eva Brožová during an interview with Nova.
The police are facing significant difficulties in identifying those involved. Besides the strong possibility that most were foreigners, there are indications that authorities did not conduct a comprehensive review of the security footage.
The 2006 Annual Report from the Czech Security Information Service (BIS) reveals that the neo-Nazi movement within the Czech Republic lacks a centralized leadership structure. Instead, it is made up of small, independent regional groups that operate autonomously.
This idea of “autonomous nationalism”—organizing without a prevailing leader—is also common among neo-Nazi movements throughout Europe. It is believed that Czech extremists take inspiration from abroad, with an increase in visits from German neo-Nazi groups reported.
