UIS: Police Intervened Lawfully in Velka Ida Last Summer

Velka Ida, 26 January (TASR) - An investigator with the Internal Affairs Inspectorate (UIS) has concluded a review of a police operation that took place in Velka Ida (Kosice region) in the summer of last year, dismissing the case on the grounds that the police intervened in a lawful manner without committing a crime, TASR was told by UIS spokesperson Andrea Dobiasova on Monday. "After examining all the circumstances, a UIS investigator dismissed the case on 15 January 2026, as there was no reason to initiate criminal prosecutions. Following an analysis of footage from body-worn cameras and CCTV, as well as numerous witness interviews, it was reasonable to conclude that no unlawful police action occurred and that the officers did not commit a criminal offence," she said. UIS reported that a police patrol was called to intervene as a massive crowd of hundreds from a marginalised Roma community was disturbing public order in the village of Velka Ida on the evening of 28 June 2025. Following the intervention, complaints about the actions of the officers from the emergency motorised unit were filed with the Kosice Regional Police, alleging that they fired non-lethal weapons without any reason, resulting in injuries and property damage. "Camera footage clearly proves that the crowd (hundreds of people) was actively attacking the police officers and civilian vehicles by throwing stones. The attacks were not merely verbal but also physical, as confirmed by injuries to an intervening police officer, which were caused by a stone and required medical treatment, as well as by damaged cars," stated Dobiasova. In order to avert an imminent threat, the police fired warning shots into the air in response to a direct attack by the crowd, which charged at the patrol, as milder warnings proved ineffective, according to the investigator. "Restraint techniques were applied only against actively resisting individuals," said Dobiasova, adding that allegations concerning arbitrary "shooting into the crowd" with the intent of causing injuries have not been supported. jrg/df