POLICE have identified the three most aggressive Chinese "men in black" that attacked Slovak activists in front of the Presidential Palace in Bratislava during the protest against human right violations in the People's Republic of China, Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák said on July 14. The protests and subsequent attack came during June’s visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to Slovakia.
The minister reported that the three men were Chinese businessmen X.J., A.Y. and S.L., all of whom had been granted Slovak citizenship between 2002 and 2006. One of the men heads a Chinese organisation in Slovakia. With regard to potential collaboration of these men with Chinese secret services, Kaliňák stressed that Slovak citizenship is conditioned upon screening by Slovakia's intelligence service, as well as additional scrutiny by Slovakia's security authorities. It would be surprising if these men were granted citizenship in the Slovak Republic if they were involved with the security services of other states, Kaliňák said.
Clashes among protesters and supporters of the Chinese president broke out on the first day of Hu Jintao’s visit. As Slovak protesters tried to unfold banners designed to draw attention to human rights breaches in China, they were attacked by supporters of the Chinese president.
