In a recent statement, President Petr Pavel expressed his deep concern regarding the violent attacks on two young women this week in Prague and Plzen. Pavel extended his sympathies to the victims and their families and praised the work of the police. He also condemned “the abuse of hatred, anger, and panic for political games.”
Unofficial reports suggest that two young Ukrainians may be responsible for the attacks. However, Pavel was quick to caution against attributing the actions of individual criminals to entire groups of people.
“While we have had more than our share of tragic incidents in our history where collective guilt was applied, it is disturbing to see individuals exploiting fear and negative emotions to promote their own political interests or gain more power. We condemn the abuse of hatred, anger, and panic for political games. Inciting negative emotions to an uncontrollable level only makes us become what we are fighting against,” said Pavel.
The attacks have sparked controversy on social media, with some users attributing the crimes to Ukrainian migrants. However, the police have not confirmed the suspects’ nationalities.
In a related case, a young Ukrainian man has been arrested for the attempted murder and rape of a 15-year-old girl. The attack occurred Tuesday night in Plzen, and the suspect, identified as an 18-year-old Ukrainian living in the city for some time, has been remanded in custody.
In response to the recent spate of assaults, Prague police have also charged a 16-year-old boy with the rape of a woman in Hostivar.
Although some social media users have attributed this crime to another Ukrainian national, the police have not confirmed this information. Nevertheless, the incident has been linked to recent conflicts between Roma and Ukrainian migrants.
The recent attacks have highlighted the importance of understanding and addressing the underlying issues contributing to violent crimes against women. It is critical to work towards a society free from hate speech and violence and provide support and resources to victims and their families.
As President Pavel noted in his statement, “Violence and aggression have no nationality or religion. We will not tolerate their expressions, regardless of who commits them.”