Category Archives: Antiziganistische Übergriffe

Analyse und Kritik des Antiziganismus, Antiziganistische Übergriffe, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Tschechien

Anti-Roma march planned in Duchcov (Field trip report II)

About 1000 people expected to march against Roma in Duchcov on the 22nd of June 2013

The anti-Roma demonstration in Duchcov, dated on 28th of May 2013 has a severe aftermath (see also article on the website romea.cz).
According to Jan Čonka, an eye-witness of the demonstration and the subsequent attempt of neonazis to march „down-town“ to the quarter inhabited mainly by Roma, the mob shouted „Murder them, the black swine“.
As the daily Právo reported on 30th of May, since the anti-Roma demonstration in Duchcov dated on 28th of May the streets of the town are almost deserted. People are afraid of leaving their houses.
The traditional celebration of the Childrens’ Day long-term planned for 31st of May was cancelled by the Town Office officially due to bad weather, most probably however for safety reasons, and postponed to the 16th of June.

New incident

On the 4th of June the commercial TV broadcasting station Nova TV published an article on its internet news server claiming that on the day before four Roma children have attacked a 12-year-old “boy”. Immediately other news servers quoted the news and sparked another wave of racism on the internet. On the 5th of May the Czech daily “Blesk” (equivalent to the British “Sun” or the German “Bild”) claimed the same. The TV Nova news was based on a single statement of a woman on facebook. Later the police informed that the information was highly misleading. It was a mutual conflict of boys (see below).

“Public meeting with citizens”

On June 4 2013 the Town Office of Duchcov staged a Meeting with Citizens in the local Town Culture centre. The main issue were safety of citizens and the inter-ethnic relations in town. About 200 people joined the meeting, about 40 of them Roma, Mr Klika, Councillor of the Regional government of Ústí nad Labem, an employee of the governmental Agency for Social Inclusion, members of the pro-Roma NGO Konexe.

The lady mayor Jitka Bártová was surprised that Roma joined the meeting. Apparently she was not prepared for this. The participating Roma confirmed that they share this fear. In the beginning the mayor gave the floor only to non-Roma. Once again many “white” citizens of the town complained about the Roma in the whole mainly for their fear of attacks against their children or themselves. Soon Roma citizens of the town insisted to be allowed to speak up as well. They complained about the implementation of collective guilt of all Roma for deeds of individuals.

Mrs Bártová complained about the government and insufficient legislative action. According to her the governmental Agency for Social Inclusion did not support the town government at all. The director of the agency however claims that the town did not follow his advises to stop privatization of houses inhabited by Roma and thus does not prevent social exclusion. Therefore the agency decided to quit cooperating with the town government recently.

The mayor complained about Roma once again. One of the issues was the coming Casanova-Festival and its eventual cancelling for safety reasons. Giacomo Girolamo Casanova was born in Venice, Italy, but spent the end of his life on the castle of Dux. The traditional festival is taking place on the second weekend of June every year. The mayor is afraid of more violence disturbing the festival.

Some Roma called upon the mayor to employ Roma as auxiliary police forces for the prevention of criminality. According to town officials the proposal was refused. Ms Barbora Bočková, head of the local pro-Roma NGO Květina said that she will file a criminal complaint for slander and damage of her reputation against the mayor. Jan Dufek, one of the three men, who had staged the demonstration of the 28th of May said, that best solution would be liquidation of Roma (see photos of Mr Dufek on the website of the Czech Antifascist action).

During the public meeting in Duchcov Petr Sytař, the head of the Teplice District Police told the audience about the first results of its investigation in terms of the mentioned incident with children stressing that it was no attack but a brawl and that four of the participants were “Czech” children and only one Roma boy involved (in the age of 7-12 years). Not only one boy was lightly injured. There was no grievous body harm. “It was an ordinary kids’ scuffle”, he said. So far TV Nova has not released an up-dating article. Since years this TV station is known for its struggle to gain audience by releasing racism sparking features.

On the 5th of May the lady mayor of Duchcov negotiated the situation in town with Jitka Gjuričová, an official of the Ministry of the Interior.

Counter action

For the coming weeks and months the North-Bohemia-based pro-Roma NGO Konexe registered daily demonstrations in all areas inhabited predominantly by Roma. On the 22nd of June therefore the neonazi party DSSS will not be able to hold their planned demonstration on the main square, but according to its website on the square nám. Legií. The NGO Konexe is planning to protect Roma just by the presence of participants of its demonstration in the street (see official website of the town Duchcov for all public demonstrations).

Public petition for expulsion of Roma

On the 4th of June 2013 a public petition for a bill to remove “asocial – inadaptable” Roma from Czech Republic was launched on the internet. It ends with the words “We are afraid of harm on our lives and health! Do something!” Within one day more than 1000 people signed the petition, within two days 4000. Most probably this is a reaction to the conflict in Duchcov, dated on 18th of May (see previous report). So far we do not know who initiated the petition. Fortunately such internet petition do not have any impact on government action.

On the facebook page of the petition you can find direct calls for violent attacks such as Radek Putniorz: “Strilet ne psat petice” (“no petitions, but shooting”).

Media review: http://www.pragerzeitung.cz/index.php/home/gesellschaft/16081-unerreichtes-ziel

Huge floods in Bohemia

In the beginning of June huge floods devastated lots of towns in Bohemia, hundreds of towns are concerned, thousands of people had to be evacuated, hundreds of houses got flooded and severely damaged. Due to the floods the Roma issue was not in the centre of public attention in the last days. As usual Roma are once again primary suspects of looting and plundering. In the shelters conflicts between Roma and non-Roma flood refugees are usual and can spark more racism. Therefore HR NGOs expect lots of more tensions possible culminating in clashes on the 22nd of June in Duchcov.

Invitation to Duchcov

The neonazi party DSSS and the Czech hardcore-neonazi server National resistance are inviting to join action in Duchcov:

22nd of June 2013
15 p.m. nám. Legií – meeting with speeches
16 p.m. march route: nám. Legií, Skladištní, Husova, Lípová, Masarykova, Bednářova, Ferrerova, nám. Jiřího z Poděbrad.

Usually the violent neonazis do not join the official action or march, but gather somewhere else in order to attack Roma in places not guarded by the police by small units. There is also a first neonazi motivating video for demonstration and march in Duchcov.
Regarding the rapidly rating number of people promising participation in the neonazi demonstration about 1000 people to be expected to join the anti-Roma-march in Duchcov (see Facebook invitation).

The streets inhabited mainly by Roma, that have been registered by the NGO Konexe for 22nd of June 2013, are: Square nám. Republiky, streets Míru, Bílinská, Studniční, Havířská, Nádražní, Riegerova, Bratří Čapků. Konexe is planning a street party and is inviting bands from Czech Republic and other countries. Most probably the police will once again block the access roads and will not let any people without permanent stay in Duchcov into the town – apart from tourists however. Therefore Konexe is preparing private accommodation facilities for the whole weekend.

The small town Duchcov is one of the most charming towns in Czech Republic suitable for family trips. The 22nd of June might the very day to discover its marvellous sights, get to know Roma citizens and celebrate the end of the recent floods. Town pubs offer splendid food and great Czech beer. Come to Duchcov, get to know Roma and other Czechs, let the sun shine in (see also englisch or german wikipedia about Duchcov).

Text from an actvist – thank you for making it available for public!

Source: Ecoleusti
Date: 04.06.2013

Antiziganistische Übergriffe, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Tschechien

Anti-Roma demonstration takes place in Duchcov

Some 500 people demonstrated Wednesday in reaction to a Roma attack on a young married couple in mid-May and some of the participants headed for the Roma-inhabited houses, but the police barred their way and the event organisers called on them to disperse.

The police have accused five Roma attackers of causing a heavy bodily harm. The court has not complied with the proposal that they be taken into custody. The demonstration was called by three Duchcov inhabitants under the title Meeting of Dissatisfied Citizens. „We do not know what to expect from various people. I am afraid that there will be no space for discussion Wednesday,“ mayor Jitka Bartova said before the meeting. One hour ahead of the demonstration local Roma also met to pray for the public peace. „It always requires two to brawl,“ an attending priest said.

Several Roma attacked a young married couple in the night of May 18. The police said the attack was preceded by an attempted theft of a bicycle, in which its owner was injured. Afterwards the same assailants attacked the married couple returning from a disco. They kicked them and beat with fists.

Source: Prague Daily Monitor
Date: 29.05.2013

Antiziganismus von Rechts, Antiziganistische Übergriffe, Beiträge auf Deutsch, Fundstücke, Tschechien

Mord an Rom in Teplice – erneut rassistische Medienberichterstattung gegen Roma

Wie romea.cz am 27.5. berichtete, wurde in der Nacht des 24. Mai in Teplice ein Rom mit mehreren Messerstichen getötet. Der Mann sei brutal mit 21 Messerstichen niedergestochen worden, nachdem er laut Aussagen eines Augenzeugen versucht habe, einem jungen Rom, welcher rassistisch beleidigt und verfolgt wurde, zu helfen. Verschiedene Medien, u.a. TV Nova, berichten jedoch davon, dass der Auslöser des Angriffs eine angeblich gestohlene Bratwurst sei.

Ingesamt berichten wenige Medien über diesen brutalen Vorfall, und wenn doch, so wird die Tatsache, dass der Angegriffene ein Rom war, nicht erwähnt. Scheinbar spielt dies nur eine Rolle, wenn es um Fälle geht, in denen Weiße die Opfer sind. Interessant ist, dass bspw. TV Nova Zeugenaussagen erwähnt, die besagen, dass sowohl Täter als auch Opfer angetrunken gewesen seien, was seitens der Polizei nicht bestätigt wurde. Ein rassistischer Vorfall wird auf eine solche Art und Weise heruntergespielt bzw. ganz unter den Teppich gekehrt. Ein von romea.cz zitierter Zeuge sagt dahingegen aus, dass der Rom ohne Anlass angegriffen wurde und dabei die Angreifer „Heil Hitler“ riefen. Continue reading Mord an Rom in Teplice – erneut rassistische Medienberichterstattung gegen Roma →

Antiziganismus auf politischer Ebene, Antiziganismus von Rechts, Antiziganistische Übergriffe, Beiträge auf Deutsch, Fundstücke, Ungarn

Ungarn: Kommen mutmaßliche Roma-Mörder bald frei?

Vier Männer sollen in den Jahren 2008 und 2009 in Ungarn sechs Menschen wegen ihrer Herkunft getötet haben. Gibt es bis August kein Urteil, müssen sie aus der U-Haft entlassen werden.

Die vier mutmaßlichen Täter einer Serie von Morden an Angehörigen der Roma-Minderheit in Ungarn könnten heuer am 21. August aus der U-Haft in die Freiheit entlassen werden, wenn bis dahin im laufenden Gerichtsprozess kein Urteil gefällt wird. Denn die Männer, die für die Ermordung von sechs Roma verantwortlich sein sollen, wurden am 21. August 2009 in Haft genommen. Die Maximaldauer der Untersuchungshaft in Ungarn beträgt vier Jahre, erinnerten mehrere Medien am Freitag.

Die Männer, zur Tatzeit im Alter von 28 bis 42 Jahren, sollen in den Jahren 2008 und 2009 sechs Menschen wegen ihrer Herkunft brutal getötet haben. Diese Mordserie hatte europaweit für Entsetzen gesorgt. Nach den Ermittlungen hatten die Verdächtigten insgesamt 78 Schüsse an neun verschiedenen Orten abgegeben. Weiters sollen sie Molotowcocktails in sieben Häuser geworfen haben. Unter den sechs Opfern befand sich ein fünfjähriger Bub.

Bei der Festnahme der vier Männer wurde ein Teil jener Jagdwaffen gefunden, die bei den Angriffen auf die Roma zum Einsatz kamen. Zwei der Männer hatten Beziehungen zu rechtsextremen Organisationen.

Quelle: Die Presse
Stand: 17.05.2013

Antiziganistische Übergriffe, Beiträge auf Deutsch, Deutschland, Fundstücke, Geschichte des Antiziganismus

Mahnmal für deportierte Juden, Sinti und Roma erneut zerstört

Erste Zerstörung zog 41.000 Euro teure, zum Großteil aus Spenden finanzierte Sanierung nach sich

Mitte März war das Denkzeichen Güterbahnhof für die deportierten Juden, Sinti und Roma nach einer 41 000 Euro teuren, zum Großteil aus Spenden finanzierten Sanierung wieder aufgestellt worden. Nun wurde es erneut zerstört. Die Stadt hat Anzeige erstattet.

„Diese wiederholte Beschädigung des Denkzeichens Güterbahnhof stimmt mich sehr traurig und gibt auch Anlass zur Sorge“, sagte Oberbürgermeister Jochen Partsch, der sich nach Bekanntwerden des Schadens am Güterbahnhof einfand.

Vor dem Hintergrund des NSU-Prozesses in München, der beleuchtet, wie aktiv der militante Rechtsterrorismushierzulande aktuell ist, sei es geboten, schnellstmöglich aufzuklären, „ob es sich um eine gezielte rechtsextremistische Zerstörung handelt oder aber um eine kriminelle Sachbeschädigung ohne politischen Hintergrund“. Continue reading Mahnmal für deportierte Juden, Sinti und Roma erneut zerstört →

Analyse und Kritik des Antiziganismus, Antiziganistische Übergriffe, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Sonst in Europa

Macedonian Police Target Roma with Excessive Force

The ERRC is deeply concerned about media reports which indicate that a special police unit, along with the regular police force, used excessive and arbitrary force when they entered a Roma neighbourhood to arrest a man who had committed a crime while on leave from prison. Around 50 police officers used force against Roma on 5 May, indiscriminately targeting individuals, including women, in the course of the operation.

Roma from the Topana neighbourhood told the ERRC that officers forcibly entered several Romani houses and local shops without providing any explanation; harassing and pushing people, often in the presence of children. Roma reported that police officers kicked and punched them with fists and police batons. Around ten Romani individuals were beaten up, including three women.

Official reports state that Roma resisted arrest, throwing stones at police forces. However eyewitness reports clearly indicate the police response was indiscriminate and out of all proportion. Media in Macedonia released a video showing the police actions. The Ministry of the Interior made a statement saying that anyone who believes their rights were violated should file a complaint. This response is clearly inadequate.

This police action is in contrary to fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Macedonian Constitution and international human rights treaties, including the right to physical and moral integrity, right to liberty and security, right to privacy, and ultimately the right not to be subject to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Such conduct is also incompatible with national codes.

The ERRC calls on the relevant authorities to: conduct an independent, thorough and effective investigation into the legality of the police and action in line with the obligations enshrined in the European Convention of Human Rights; to ensure that the investigation fully explores any evidence of discriminatory action or bias motivation and to make public the scope, methods and findings of the investigation in this case.

For more information, contact:

Sinan Gökçen
Media and Communications Officer
European Roma Rights Centre
[email protected]
+36.30.500.1324

Source: ERRC
Date: 13.05.2013

Antiziganismus von Rechts, Antiziganistische Übergriffe, Österreich, Fundstücke, Posts in English

Marika Schmiedt’s Exhibition at Construction Site in Linz, Austria – Posters Ripped Down, the Artist Threatened and Attacked at Opening by Outraged Hungarian Nationalist and her Austrian Husband.

Marika Schmiedt, one of the most politically engaged Roma activist artists in Austria (and Europe), has been censored, threatened, and attacked for her politically controversial artworks, which expose and critique various forms of racism, nationalism and fascism in Europe. By linking the history of the persecution and killings of Roma and Sinti to the current forms of systematic and violent discrimination and murder of Roma and Sinti in Europe and worldwide, Schmiedt’s work has hit a nerve in the neo-fascist atmosphere of European politics, enraging nationalists from various countries, as well as politicians, intellectuals, and activists who find her work too confrontational.

Source: Marika Schmiedt
Date: 18.04.2013

Analyse und Kritik des Antiziganismus, Antiziganistische Übergriffe, Österreich, Beiträge auf Deutsch, Fundstücke, Posts in English

Fax campaign for solidarity against the censorship of Roma

Among the many reasons of concern about the political, economic and social crisis affecting the European Union’s civil society today, there is one that in our view has reached a critical level. We are very concerned about the re-establishment and re-legitimization of far-right parties in Eastern and Central Europe. We are also very concerned about the involvement of the far-right parties in present dynamics of society, about the participation of the far-right parties and fractions in the official decision-making processes of the political scene, along with the presence of the radical right-wing extremists within daily life under the protection of the authorities.

In the last years, there were many attacks and mobs against Roma people all over Europe; just to recall some of them, the mobs and pogroms against Roma in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Hungary from 2011 until today. Despite of the international critics and counter demonstrations, the far-right parties and fractions are still legal and their presence within public spaces is much stronger now than it was before. The legislation of the E.U. is not prepared to face this situation and unfortunately there is no interest from the side of political representatives to fight this volatile situation. Slowly but surely, the European Union turns into a ‘Europe of Nations’ in which minorities are neither respected nor protected.

There are declarations that officially dehumanize minorities: Zolt Bayer, a Hungarian official and a friend of Viktor Orban, declared at the beginning of this year: “Gypsies are animals”. The public opinion has a passive position that legitimates and empowers the far-right. Because of the lack of critics, the structure of the neo-nationalist parties and fractions has become stable and effective. Their strengthened mobs are now much more prepared and – with the support of media platforms that control and filter the information – less visible. Continue reading Fax campaign for solidarity against the censorship of Roma →

Antiziganismus von Rechts, Antiziganistische Übergriffe, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Slowakei

Slovakia: Romani man from Czech Republic and others beaten by 20 skinheads

The Slovak media are reporting that allegedly as many as 20 skinhead attackers brutally beat up a Romani man from the Czech Republic at a party in the Central Slovakian town of Banská Štiavnica. The man lost consciousness as a result of the brawl. Two Georgians and the man’s girlfriend, who is a local resident, were also targeted for attack. It is not yet clear whether the conflict was racially motivated.

The incident occurred on the evening of Saturday 6 April at a local discotheque. There was some discord between two girls and shortly thereafter the brawl was unleashed. The Georgians and the Romani man were working in the town, the Georgians as part of an EU-sponsored volunteer program. The assailants beat Romani victim Pavel H. to such a degree that he lost consciousness twice. They also broke his girlfriend’s nose. The injured girl is filing criminal charges and the Georgians are considering informing their embassy of the incident. Witnesses claim the attackers pushed their victims to the ground and kicked them wildly. None of the discotheque’s other customers or its staff came to the aid of the victims. Discotheque owner Zuzana Kaníková insists her security personnel did what they could, but believes they had no “powers” to intervene against the attackers out on the street.

The Georgian volunteers are not able to say with 100 % certainty whether the assault was racially motivated, but they do have the feeling that the brutality of the attack was caused by the fact that they are foreigners. Both of the Georgians are dark-skinned and spoke English at the start of the incident. „My friend from Georgia got punched inside and his colleague came to his defense. Then everything went down very fast. The conflict moved into the vestibule, then the bouncers sent us outside and the assailants went out after us. I was struck from behind and that’s the last thing I remember. Maybe the fact that I was unconscious is what spared me,” Pavel H. told news server Sme.sk. “The most I can tell you is that we really are not able to confirm that this was racially motivated. However, the fact that it was 30 against three is completely unacceptable,” victim Pavel H. told Czech Radio. Pavel H. had previously worked in Banská Štiavnica as a volunteer before being hired there as an auto mechanic. “I have never had this big of a problem anywhere before. I am planning to keep on living here and I’m a bit afraid for my safety now,” he admitted.

Source: Romea.cz
Date: 11.04.2013

Antiziganismus von Rechts, Antiziganistische Übergriffe, Fundstücke, Griechenland, Posts in English

Neo-Nazi Golden Dawn Thugs Clash with Roma in Kalamata Hospital Raid

Anti-foreign nurse swoop on Peloponnese hospital explodes in violence as Roma patient’s friends confront Nazis

Members of Greece’s neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party have clashed with a group of Roma in a raid on Kalamata Hospital in the southern Peloponnese. The extremists, led by MP Dimitris Koukoutsis, swooped on the hospital hunting for foreign nurses. Earlier this year, four women from Bulgaria were forced to leave the Panarkadiko hospital in Tripoli, Peloponnese, after dozens of Golden Dawn members evicted them.

This time, however, they were confronted by Roma who had taken to the hospital a 22-year-old victim of a racially motivated attack. Violence broke out between the two groups but was broken up by police.
Koukoutsis accused the Roma of „involvement in delinquency“ and said Golden Dawn would not regard them as equal citizens until they gave up crime. He said delinquency was „in their DNA“, according to ENET website. Hospital director Yirgos Bezos said that Golden Dawn’s raid on the hospital was „unacceptable.

The row came days after a leading member of a Roma settlement in Komotini, northern Greece, threatened Golden Dawn with a provocative video on YouTube. In the footage, two Roma men wield guns, axes and chainsaws and dare the neo-Nazi party to launch a raid on their camp. „You will have to send a lot of guys to my camp,“ says one man. Addressing Nikos Michaloliakos, chairman of Golden Dawn, the unnamed Roma leader brags about having many „crazy guys“ watching his back. „Michaloliakos, round up your mongrels,“ says the man.

Source + Video: International Business Time
Date: 10.04.2013