This contribution deals with contemporary right-wing vigilant and paramilitary groupings in the Czech Republic. Historical development of these phenomena is outlined. The impact of the so called “Roma issue”, the Ukrainian crisis and migration crisis on rise of vigilantism and paramilitarism in the Czech Republic is explained. Situation in this country is compared with development trends in Central Europe and other European countries.
Miroslav Mareš (1974). Political scientist, professor at the Department of Political Science and researcher at the International Institute for Political Science, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. He is a member of the European Expert Network on Terrorism Issues (2014-2016 chair of the subgroup Right-wing extremist, left wing extremist and separatist violence in Europe) and member of the editorial board of the Radicalisation Awareness Network (2015-2017). His research interests is focused on political extremism and terrorism and security policy in Central Europe. He has published numerous articles and books, a. o. he is co-author (with Astrid Bötticher) of the book Extremismus – Theorien – Konzepte – Formen (Oldenbourg Verlag 2012) and co-editor (with Jan Holzer) of the book “Challenges to Democracies in East Central Europe” (Routledge 2016).