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Someone Surrendered a Pink Tank Under Ongoing Weapons Amnesty Program

How’s that for an unexpected but still very much welcome surprise? The Czech police are running a nationwide program of weapons amnesty, and someone actually surrendered two tanks—one of which was pink.
Someone surrendered a T-34/85 tank dyed in pink in the Czech Republic 3 photos
Photo: Twitter/Policie CZ
Someone surrendered a T-34/85 tank dyed in pink in the Czech RepublicThe same person also surrendered a SU-100 tank destroyer
At the end of January this year, the Czech police announced that, under an amendment to the Weapons Act, anyone who had illegal weapons or ammunition could turn them in to the authorities or take steps to have them legalized, if possible. The holders would face no punishment, the announcement said. The campaign started right away and will continue until the end of July this year.

With the announcement, the police released a video that was, more or less, an exaggerated take on what they expected to have people turning in. More specifically, it showed someone driving a tank into the police HQ parking lot, handing it over to two very amazed cops, and then walking away. The idea was that anyone could turn in any weapon they had that did not comply with EU and national regulation, as long as it wasn’t explosives. Even a tank.

The other day, the police announced that, to their surprise, someone did turn a tank in. Actually, two tanks were surrendered: a self-propelled gun SD-100 (SU-100 tank destroyer) and a medium T34/85 tank, which, for whatever reason, is now rocking a faded Pepto-Bismol pink layer of paint. The stories this machine could tell, we can only imagine.

Always on social media, the police say that “both machines were handed over in the Hradec Králové region, they have devalued weapon systems, however, this devaluation does not meet current requirements and period documents are missing.” Both belong to the same owner, who is now hoping “to apply for a ‘downgrading’ permit under the current legislation.”

Both the SU-100 (Samokhodnaya Ustanovka 100) and the T-34 were used extensively in WWII, and then went on in service in the armies of Soviet allies. The SU-100 is a 4-crew machine with a maximum operational range of 250 km (155 miles), and a top speed of 48 kph (30 mph). The T-34/85 tank, introduced in 1940, is a 5-crew machine with heavily sloped armor, a maximum operational range of 300 km (186 miles), and a max speed of 53 kph (33 mph). Now also in pink.



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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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