Abstrakt
The most significant developments in 2016 related to Islamophobia in the Czech Republic are the continuation of display of aggressive intolerance in the form of demonstrations, which are getting more intrusive and are prompting debates about the limits of freedom of assembly; the failure of the attempt of Islamophobic parties to create coalitions for regional elections, which led to the fragmentation and proliferation of smaller Islamophobic initiatives; and the increased anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric and policies within the mainstream political establishment across all parties. The line separating xenophobic and anti-xenophobic perspectives no longer runs between various parties but is often drawn between different individual politicians within the same party.
The polarization on the issue of immigrants (most often perceived to be Muslims) has spread to wider society dividing it into blocks of those who oppose the "foreign threat" and call for national consolidation and those who advocate for compassion and, often as volunteers, help asylum seekers and immigrants. The deeper the polarization the more obvious it becomes that what is at stake is not only attitudes to immigration but that the two blocks (divided into sub-blocks) are in opposition regarding overall understanding of freedom, and the rights and responsibilities in Czech society.
This is illustrated by the instance when a prominent member of the Czech parliament for the Social Democrats, Jeroným Tejc, proposed changes in the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms to limit its article guaranteeing right of asylum. Another similar example comes from a wellknown constitutional lawyer and vice-rector of Charles University, Aleš Gerloch, who proposed inserting the term nation into the Czech Constitution as the basis of statehood.
All this could lead to unprecedented changes in the fundamental documents on which Czech society is based; if one change is allowed, others may follow easily and this time these changes may not be against asylum seekers or non-Czechs but might target other randomly chosen groups. The role of the media continues to be controversial, further contributing to the chaotic situation invoking alleged imminent dangers, which play well into the hands of Islamophobic attitudes.
It is, however, important to stress that resistance also continues and involves individuals, initiatives and organizations, both formal and informal, and is particularly manifested in the form of volunteering in helping asylum seekers and immigrants.