Two Romanies were charged today with violence and breach of the peace for taking part in a verbal and bodily attack on Miroslav Sladek, the chairman of the extreme right-wing Republicans, and his bodyguards during an Republican rally on Saturday, police sp okeswoman Ivana Balakova told CVK today.

The two Romanies, aged 36 and 40, are being held by police pending a decision on custody . If convicted, they face several years in prison.

"The police has received amateur video footage via Nova television which may help clarify the case or indict further participants in the incedent," Balakova said.

Local Romanies say the incident was provoked by Sladek's racist comments and his insults against President Havel and his wife. The ensuing skirmish was only stopped by a warning shoot by the municipal police. Sladek and three Republicans suffered minor bod ily harm.

Local Romanies have protested against the arrest

Translation of the open Lether from Ladislav Spacek

On one hand the President of the Czech Republic does not approve of punching politicians at pre-election assemblies, on the other hand, he understands the Romanies' actions, the values their position, through which they showed that they are not indifferen t to the values of this country, and values the fact that, unlike others present, they even the only ones to defend the president abd his wife from vulgar attacks.