Prague / Czech Rep. (RNC Correspondent) 16.02.1998

On Sunday February the 15th 1998, three Skinheads ( 23, 23 and 24 years of age ) brutally attacked a Romni. They beat her up and then they pushed her from a brigde into the Elbe River.

It was the third official attack on Roma in the Czech Republic in four weeks.

An editor from the radio station ’’ Eesky rozhlas ’’ was present during the attack; he quickly jumped into the water but could do nothing to save her. Then he called the fire brigade, which spend to days searching the river for the woman; the search was ca lled off after her husband pulled her body from the water on February the 17th. Neither the gouverment or media sources have yet released her name.

Police spokesmant Karel Matula said the 26- year- old woman apparently was attacked shortly before midnight Sunday on a brigde in the east Bohemian town of Vrchlabi, 75 miles northeast if Prague.

The police are treating the attack as a brawl and not as a racism murder.

The previous attacks were both firebombings of Roma aparments. One woman remains hospitalized.

ON SATURDAY FEBRUARY THE 21st 1998 THERE WILL BE A DEMONSTRATION IN THE CITY OF BEROUN / CZECH REPUBLIC AT 3 P.M.

’’ STOP RACISM AGAINST ROMA ’’