Milos Zeman, Martin Konvicka, Marek Cernoch Editorial Image

Czech President Milos Zeman, centre, said today, on November 17, 2015, the holders of opposite opinions of the migrant crisis should not be branded Islamophobes, racists or fascists, at an event staged by the Bloc Against Islam that takes a negative stance on migrants and is opposed to their acceptance. On another occasion, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD), on the contrary, called on the public not to turn the anger provoked by terrorists against the migrants. Tolerance for opposite opinions must be shown, everyone in a free society has the right to express their opinions, but people with opposite opinions must not be reduced to silence, Zeman said in Prague´s university neighbourhood Albertov. Labels or abusive language are no argument. That is why people should not mark opponents of Islam and migrants as racists, he said. Zeman observed one minute silence in remembrance of the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday. Supporters of the Bloc Against Islam call for the complete removal of Muslims from the Czech Republic and they are opposed to accepting migrants. Adherents of neo-Nazi or extreme right organisations appeared at several anti-Islam events this year. Several people with extreme-right opinions also came to the event today.