Youth Violence and Radicalization Surge in Central Europe

A 15‑year‑old boy was violently attacked in a shopping centre in Vyškov, Czech Republic, and required intensive care. Police and experts said the assault, which was filmed and shared online, reflects a growing trend of violent crime among children and adolescents. Lukáš Kobliha of the Prague police department blamed easy access to mobile phones, unfiltered violent content on social networks, and overly protective parenting for normalising aggression.

In Slovakia, child‑rights commissioner Jozef Mikloško warned that radicalisation among young people is rising, driven by feelings of loneliness, family isolation and the rapid spread of extremist ideas on the internet. He highlighted algorithm‑driven content, fake influencers and closed‑group messaging as accelerants, and called for more adult‑child interaction, regulation of screen time and early detection of warning signs.