Slap is just a slap

Macek's slapping Rath no crime but misdemeanour

This weekend's attack on Health Minister David Rath by Miroslav Macek, former Civic Democrat (ODS) deputy head and current adviser to President Vaclav Klaus, will be assessed as a misdemeanour against the public peace, not as a crime, state attorney Tomas Blaha told CTK today.
He said that he had assessed the incident on the basis of TV recordings, along with the police, and considered either to qualify Macek's action as breach of the peace, a crime, or as an offence.

"We finally qualified it as an offence," Blaha said.

Macek (senior opposition ODS) slapped Rath (for the senior ruling Social Democrats, CSSD) from behind in his head, in front of TV cameras at a conference of the Czech Dentists' Chamber (CSK) which Macek, a dentist by training, was to moderate.

Later Macek threw himself on Rath with his fists, but Rath parried the attack before a by-standing official tore them apart.

To explain his action, Macek said Rath had made unflattering utterances about his wife.

A Czech blogger has more on the story, which nobody would care about if not for the video.

It's an interesting example of how in our modern society those who believe in things like rule of law sometimes are at a disadvantage when confronted by those troglodytes who believe in might makes right. Rath comes across looking like a fool; but really, what could he do?