The second protest march under the slogan ‘Together for a Decent and Safe Life in Slovakia’ organised by Oskar Dobrovodský and Marián Mišún, ended in front of the Bratislava Castle gates with one protester burning the flag of the European Union. Mišún, along with another protester, could face a three-year prison sentence for this act, the TASR newswire reported.
The largely peaceful protest began outside the Main Railway Station in Bratislava at 15:30 and was joined by approximately one hundred protesters. Organisers of the march said the purpose was to boost feelings of patriotism and national unity among people, and to point to a variety of social and economic problems that Slovakia could face in the future, TASR wrote.
Mišún declared the action to be a mere mass city walk, rather than a protest, which enabled the crowd to get as far as the Svätopluk statue just outside the Bratislava Castle. The organisers then delivered speeches once the demonstration had reached its destination.
The march has been criticised by Ján Krta, the deputy mayor of Bratislava’s Old Town borough.
“As this walk ended at Svätopluk’s statue with the organisers making speeches, it again assumed the characteristics of a protest,” Krta told TASR, adding that therefore “this will be dealt with in due proceedings as a misdemeanour”.
The first, largely peaceful protest took place on October 13, with a number of supporters of radical nationalist organisation Slovenská pospolitosť also joining. The organisers distanced themselves from any kind of extremism, however. In addition, the rally also met with opposition from human-rights activists.
The next protest is slated for November 17 and should take place in Malacky.
Source: TASR
For more information about this story please see: Anti-Roma demos lead to warning
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
