Canberra  22 August 2005
No. 1406/2005-Can

Dear <censored>,

Thank you for your letter in which you pointed out the police attack
against
the Czech nationals at the CzechTek Party on 29 July 2005.

As per information available to the Embassy of the Czech Republic in
Canberra, the brutality was not all on one side. The crowd was
demonstrably
aggressive, destroyed property and left a terrible mess, which had to be
cleaned up by the locals. Furthermore, the locals were not asked if they
minded the noise and other affects of CzechTek. The Party organizers had
rented the land, however they were not authorized to organize such a
party
there. I agree with you, that the 1989 Czech Velvet Revolution aimed
to, and
succeeded in reestablishing freedom of assembly together with other
basic
principles of democracy. However, there is a rule included among these
principles stating that freedom of one human finishes where freedom of
another human starts.

You have mentioned the Czech Prime Minister’s statement regarding a
legislative regulation with regards to holding functions similar to
CzechTek. Please take into account that similar parties are not
allowed to
be held in countries such as the United Kingdom and France, and in
Germany
and Austria after a substantial preparation, according to my knowledge.
CzechTek 2005 was not the only party of this kind held in the Czech
Republic, but in this case preparation and organization were missing or
completely failed.

A number of Czech politicians, including the President of the Czech
Republic, claimed that the police attack was controversial and that the
police brutality was out of proportion to the breach of the law.
Therefore
the Senate Examination Commission and a commission of the Ministry of
Internal Affairs have been established. Former Czech President Havel has
personaly established contact between “the dancers” and the Ministry of
Internal Affairs.

Information available to me does not enable me to give a full
explanation of
all the circumstances regarding the CzechTek Party on 29 July 2005.
However,
they enable me to confirm that you do not have to be wary to travel
to the
Czech Republic. It is a beautiful place, where the people, including
policemen, are usually kind, similarly as in Australia.

Yours sincerely

Karel Pažourek
Ambassador of the Czech Republic


----- Original Message -----
<part of the head been <censored>>
Subject: police brutality in Czech Republic

To Whom it May Concern:

I am writing to express my concern regarding police brutality at a
gathering of Czech citizens on July 29th, 2005.  There are reports
and video evidence that the free community dance party 'Freetekno'
was subject to unwarranted tear gasing and over 1000 riot police and
your Prime Minister has stated that he wants to legislate that such
gatherings (and not such brutality)  "will not happen again."

I realise that the Czech Republic is a young democracy but this is no
excuse for abuse of power from your police force against it's
citizens.I believe the Velvet Revolution was fought precisely to
ensure your people were free to gather and express themselves as
these people were trying to do. Dance parties and social gatherings
are important to communities and cultures. They are a celebration of
life and an age old tradition. The culture of young people is just as
important as culture created by other citizens and it must always be
remembered that without the culture created by the young there is no
cultural future.

As a frequent traveller, this kind of police behaviour makes me very
wary of traveling to your country. If a bunch of people dancing in a
field is a threat, how do I know I won't be subject to such
unwarranted police brutality?  I hope your prime minister and police
minister will rethink their positions.