Matolka: It was a peaceful action, but police acted brutally

Euroradio: You've seen many actions. What are your impressions of yesterday's one? 

Matolka: “It was surely a peaceful and non-violent action. When people write in comments that police use tear gas and batons while dispersal of demonstrations in Europe, we need to remember that they use force only if demonstrators use force. In this case, it was a usual Wednesday night and ordinary citizens with no symbols just walked in the streets. There was no violence from their side. Excess use of force, which is confirmed by video and photo materials, made by myself and other people, is obvious”.

Euroradio: We've seen your pictures of two detentions. How would you characterize the police's actions in comparison with last Wednesday?

Matolka: “There was much more verbal aggression, and aggression on the policemen's faces this time. Last time, when I took pictures of the action, I saw people who understood what was happening - I mean, they only did their job, trying not to cross the limits of their competence, but this time, when the action just started and they detained journalists and common people it became evident that the action would not finish as smoothly as before. They even beat journalists, threw away women, my colleagues. This time the police behaved much more brutal and severely”.

Euroradio: You also took pictures of a youngster just walking, and riot policemen attacking him. How did you manage to do that?

Matolka: “We were on the bridge together with my colleagues, when first detentions started. When men in black crossed the street it was obvious they have a certain purpose. I paid attention to that and simply followed them by my lens. You can see in the very first shots that the youngster who got detained is not in the center, but a bit aside. I took pictures of the policemen and people around them. And then it happened that the whole process of detention from the beginning to the end was in the pictures. The detention was very brutal. God helps, everything will be all right with the guy's neck... A man just jumped on him from behind and hit him in the neck with his hand. Then he pulled him down to the ground and then 6 policemen detained one person”.

Photo: daylife.com