Police chief condemns 'inappropriate action', warns of 'wider context' in viral video case

Slovak chief-of-police Peter Kovarik on Tuesday commented on video footage circulating on social media, apparently showing a police officer kicking and beating a homeless man in Stara Tura, western Slovakia. He condemned all "inappropriate actions the police might have taken", but warned against ignoring the "broader context" of the incident. "According to the information I have at my disposal, the police intervention really seems to have been inappropriate," Kovarik said. At the same time, the homeless man is reported to have been aggressive and threatened an officer with killing their family, he added. The incident is set to be investigated by the Interior Ministry's inspection service department.