The footage of a Croatian policeman who is forcing a group of detained migrants to chant "Dinamo Zagreb" is spreading on social networks, reports Index.hr on March 12, 2019.
The Centre for Peace Studies has received a confirmation from the Ministry of Interior that the Croatian police officer was responsible for filming a group of migrants and encouraging them to chant the football fans’ slogan.
The footage was made on 6 March in the area of the Cetingrad border police station. “Given that the persons spoke English well, one of the police officers encouraged them to engage in improper communication and filmed them with the help of a mobile device,” said the police, according to the Centre for Peace Studies.
The Ministry also added that the police would initiate disciplinary proceedings against three police officers who were present, while the policeman who filmed the migrants would be removed from duty. The persons who tried to enter Croatia later returned to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Here is the police response to questions about the incident.
“Immediately after we received initial information, on Friday, March 8, in order to determine all the relevant facts about the time and place of the controversial incident and before the footage was made public, necessary checks and inquiries were made on the ground and it was established as follows:
The controversial event took place on Wednesday, March 6, 2019, in the area covered by the Cetingrad border police station. At the borderline, the police officers noted a group of people who were resting. The police officers warned them that their further progress would represent an illegal crossing of the state border and that they must return. Given that the persons spoke English well, one of the police officers encouraged them to engage in improper communication and filmed them with the help of a mobile device. Given that the police officers prevented their illegal entry into Croatia, the persons left their position and returned into the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Against three of the police officers involved in the event the competent superiors will initiate disciplinary proceedings for a severe violation of the official duty, while the police officer who filmed and acted improperly and inappropriately communicated with the persons will be removed from duty because the disciplinary violation is such that his further stay in the service might harm the interests of the service," wrote the Interior Ministry in the response.
The Karlovac Police Administration is conducting a criminal investigation to determine all the circumstances of the event and stresses that they have repeatedly expressed attitude of zero tolerance to any unlawful behaviour by police officers, adding that they condemn such conduct.
Translated from Index.hr.
More news about the migrant crisis can be found in the Politics section.
