Category Archives: Posts in English

Analyse und Kritik des Antiziganismus, Antiziganismus auf politischer Ebene, Antiziganismus von Rechts, Antiziganistische Übergriffe, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Tschechien

BIS report warns of increasing anti-Roma activity

Anti-Romany moods in a part of the Czech society may become a more serious problem for the country’s security than groups of rightist extremists, the BIS counter-intelligence service says in its quarterly report released on its website yesterday.

The report on the development on the extremist scene in the Czech Republic in the past quarter of 2013 pointed to the participation of ordinary citizens in anti-Romany rallies in Ceske Budejovice, south Bohemia, and Duchcov, north Bohemia.

Ethnic tension must be released resolutely and pragmatically, BIS says.

Most participants in the above mentioned anti-Romany demonstrations were ordinary local people who thereby expressed their dissatisfaction with what they call the authorities‘ insufficient solution to problems with the Romany minority.

BIS points out that these citizens are afflicted by petty crimes and breach of the peace near their homes that are not dealt with in a satisfactory way.

„If there is even a minor impulse, their everyday problems and their frustration provoked by them combined with latent anti-Gypsyism are expressed openly and result in more radical manifestations,“ BIS writes.

This is why the anti-Romany stance of a part of the Czech society may become a more serious threat to security than the activities of more extreme but less numerous and relatively well monitored groups of rightist extremists in a long-term perspective, according to BIS.

„We must start solving the tension between ethnic groups resolutely, pragmatically and without emotions. Otherwise, there is a risk of this problem gradually escalating and thus of increasing scepticism in a part of society about the Czech Republic’s democratic principles in a long-term perspective,“ the report’s authors warned.

The ultra-right Workers‘ Party of Social Justice (DSSS), successor to the outlawed Workers‘ Party (DS), attempted to abuse the anti-Romany moods in society in the past quarter, BIS recalls.

The DSSS staged a demonstration in Duchcov on June 22 in which some 1000 people took part a half of whom were the DSSS following.

„Despite a relatively high attendance, the party did not succeed in using the situation to increase its popularity. It was not actively involved in the demonstrations in Ceske Budejovice,“ BIS notes.

It adds that the DSSS also convoked a May Day meeting in Prerov, north Moravia, attended by up to 400 people. However, no incidents breaching the peace occurred.

Leftist extremists also traditionally met in Prague on May Day. Some 300 people participated in their march which was peaceful except for a few minor incidents.

Source: Prague Daily Monitor
Date: 31.07.2013

Abschiebung und Asyl, Analyse und Kritik des Antiziganismus, Fundstücke, Großbritanien, Posts in English, Staatlicher Antiziganismus

Where Am I To Go? London Roma Evicted

In another dawn swoop, an encampment was destroyed at Hendon last month. Some families agreed to be flown back to Romania, while others were given 30 days to leave the country. The land on which they squatted is now under 24-hour security guard and is being sold to a major developer.

Britain has recently adopted the same cold-blooded tactics as France, Germany and Italy, breaking up camps, arresting, re-arresting, and carrying out so-called voluntary returns of EU citizens. Neither allowed to work nor to receive benefits, the legal excuse
for their forceful explusion is that they can’t support themselves.

WILL YOU SUPPORT THEM? JOIN ROMA PROTEST ACTION

6.30 pm on Friday, 2 August, outside the French Embassy,
58 Knightsbridge Road, SW1X 7JT (Knightsbridge Tube)

A samba band will lead a march to Marble Arch, scene
of the last ethnic-cleansing operation.

You are also welcome to participate in the Roma Genocide
Commemoration taking place at 5pm at the Hyde Park
Holocaust Memorial in memory of the 500,000 Roma
murdered by the Nazi.

At 3pm protests are being held outside the embassies
of the Czech Republic and Slovakia demanding an end
to neo-Nazi attacks and wide-spread apartheid in
education.

For more information contact:

Toma Mladenov, chair Roma London BG
riadefacto@abv,bg

Ladislav Balaz, chair Europe-Roma
[email protected]

Grattan Puxon, 8 April Movement
[email protected]

Source: Indymedia
Date: 20.07.2013

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

Police detain 136 people during anti-Roma protest

Eight people were injured and 136 detained during a clash between anti-Romany demonstrators and policemen in Ceske Budejovice that ended in the night, police spokeswoman Lenka Holicka told CTK yesterday. The police launched criminal proceedings in six cases on suspicion of assaulting a public officer. No one has been accused yet and all detained persons have been released, Holicka added. Misdemeanours were committed in 130 cases and another 22 people were brought to the police station to find out their identity, Holicka added. Policemen seized 25 weapons from the demonstrators, such as knuckles, gas weapons, baseball bats and rods. Ceske Budejovice Mayor Juraj Thoma said the police intervention was fully professional.

„Doctors treated eight people from the demonstration in a hospital in Ceske Budejovice on Saturday – six activists and two policemen. All but one who suffered concussion were released from hospital. The others mostly suffered bruises and lacerations,“ hospital spokeswoman Ivana Kerlesova told CTK. Thirteen people, ten activists and three policemen, were treated in hospital with light injuries after the first anti-Romany rally in Ceske Budejovice a week ago, on June 29.

On Saturday evening, the police raided on the participants in an anti-Romany demonstration at the Maj housing estate. They moved to the area, inhabited by many Romanies, after the Town Hall had their demonstration in the centre dispersed since it had not been officially announced beforehand and permitted. The demonstrators wanted to march to Maj together, but the police prevented it. Then they went there in small groups. Hundreds of policemen were deployed at the housing estate over the protests. Armoured and mounted police pushed out the demonstrators trying to separate them from the housing estate’s inhabitants. Policemen used tear gas against the demonstrators. Police patrols stayed at the Maj housing estate in the whole night. They keep monitoring the situation yesterday.

Tension has existed at the Maj housing estate with some 22,000 residents, including about 400 Romanies, since June 21 when an incident between Romany and majority children and then adult people occurred on a local playground. Some local inhabitants complain about the problematic cohabitation with Romanies. Several civic associations and church organisations operate at the estate. Their field workers primarily focus on free-time activities of children and youth from the minority community. A number of civic groups have condemned the anti-Romany demonstrations.

Source: Prague Daily Monitor
Date: 08.07.2013

Analyse und Kritik des Antiziganismus, Fundstücke, Geschichte des Antiziganismus, Posts in English, Tschechien

Model of wartime camp for Czech Roma unveiled

A model of the Nazi internment camp for Czech Roma as it looked like in 1942 was unveiled at its original site in Lety Monday. The model was made of an environment-friendly material by students of a secondary business school in Teplice, north Bohemia. It was difficult to find a period photograph of the Lety camp on the basis of which its true model could be created since none of the survivors from the camp is alive now, Cervencl said, adding that the last one died in 2012. The creation of the model was very important for the young people since they could thereby learn a lot about the WWII history and they will keep this knowledge in the future, Cervencl said. He noted that the students from the Teplice secondary school could also make similar models of Lidice and Lezaky, Czech villages obliterated by the Nazis in 1942.

Over 1300 Roma were interned in Lety during the German Nazi occupation, 327 of whom perished in the camp and over 500 were sent to the extermination camp in Oswiecim (Auschwitz) where most of them died. A memorial to the Romani Holocaust was set up at the former burial ground of the Lety concentration camp for Roma. However, it is near a pig farm situated at the site now.

Roma and human rights activists have protested against it for years demanding that the pig farm be abolished. Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democrats (ODS), who resigned in min-June, said last year the government had no money for the purchase of the farm. A total of 12,000 people visited the Lety memorial in 2012.

Source: Prague Daily Monitor
Date: 09.07.2013

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

Czech Republic: Teplice residents say police there don‘t solve crimes with Romani victims

The main complaint being made by the Romani people who gathered in Teplice last Friday relates to the police and the fact that they do not take action in cases where Romani people are victims of crime. The recent murder of Ivan Jarka there was, in the view of the Romani community, a racist one.

Local Romani residents explain the fact that police are reportedly denying such motivation in Jarka’s case by the fact that police have reportedly taken a bad approach toward the Romani community for years. An important reason they participated in the demonstration was that they felt the need to rehabilitate the name of the murdered man after the Czech media spread the rumor that he had been murdered for stealing two bratwurst. Mainstream media outlets in the country have not also reported that the people assaulted in the incident, including the murder victim, were Romani and the assailant was not.

„We must finally show that there has been enough of this. We want to unify everyone Romani as well as the majority part of society that is no fan of discrimination and anti-Romani sentiment. We want tolerance,“ said Štefan Tišer, chair of the Equal Opportunities Party (Strana rovných příležitostí), which organized the event. Continue reading Czech Republic: Teplice residents say police there don‘t solve crimes with Romani victims →

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

Czech Republic: „White“ aggressor brutally beats up two Romani women, one of them disabled, in the Šluknov foothills

Sisters Božena and Marcela Demeterová paid a cruel price for going to a restaurant last Friday evening in the town of Mikulášovice not far from Rumburk in the Šluknov foothills. The pair were slowly heading home when they were brutally assaulted outside by a young „white“ man. Robert Ferenc of the Čačipen association in Krásná Lípa brought the case to the attention of news server Romea.cz.

When Božena Demeterová left the restaurant, she looked for her sister Marcela. „A man we know was sitting out there. He first started shouting something at me, then he kicked me from behind and when I fell he kept kicking me. Then Marcela ran over to protect me and he slapped her. I don’t know what else he did to her, I didn’t see the whole thing because I was still trying to get up. Some guys standing a little way off started yelling at him, asking him what he was doing. He got scared and started running into the park. Marcela threw a rock at him and ran after him. He was waiting for her and he hit her with a board from a fence,“ she told news server Romea.cz.

Libor Bílý, who was an eyewitness to part of the incident, described what happened as follows: „Božena came out of the pub and called ‚Marcela, where are you?‘ That boy was there and he started shouting at her, ‚What are you doing yelling here, you black pig?‘ and he kicked her from behind. When she fell to the ground, he kept kicking her. Marcela ran up and started arguing with him. The boy took a running start at her and sharply kicked her in the chest area. I started yelling at him, asking how he could do that to a woman, and I ran over there. He started running away and Marcela and I started chasing him. I had to stop for a moment because I couldn’t breathe. A second later I heard screaming. When I caught up with her, Marcela was lying on the ground in a pool of blood and a wooden plank from a fence was lying beside her.“

Police have also confirmed the assault took place. „On 23 June police arrested a 20-year-old man for committing physical assault against a woman in Mikulášovice. He currently faces charges of battery,“ Petra Trypesová, spokesperson for the police in Děčín, told news server Romea.cz.

Božena Demeterová, who was assaulted by the „white“ aggressor first, suffered many bruises and a great deal of pain. The assailant’s first target is also a person living with disabilities. She suffered polio as a child. One arm and one leg are shorter than the others and have less range of motion, and she walks with great difficulty. She carries a state identification card of the ZTP/P type („especially severely disabled requiring an attendant“).

Božena’s sister Marcela, who tried to protect her, ended up in worse shape than she did. „She’s in the hospital in Ústí nad Labem and is waiting to have her broken jaw operated on. She also has a broken collarbone and other injuries,“ her son Zdeněk Demeter told news server Romea.cz.

„That guy is a drug addict and he was drunk, that’s probably why he snapped,“ Zdeněk Demeter said of the aggressor. News server Romea.cz will report further information on this case as it becomes available.

Source: Romea.cz
Date: 24.06.2013

Analyse und Kritik des Antiziganismus, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Staatlicher Antiziganismus, Ungarn

Roma Stand Against Prejudice in Hungarian University

Two people of Roma origin and an activist who fought a two-year battle to ban course material they found racially offensive at one of Hungary’s most respected universities have finally won an apology and the promise of a scholarship for a Roma student.

A Macedonian former student at Hungary’s Corvinus University and another Roma student from Moldova and the Hungarian activist joined forces to complain about anti-Roma comments one of them discovered in a university course book at Corvinus.

Initial complaints in 2011 from Macedonian Nadir Redzepi fell on deaf ears at the university, which said the book’s author no longer worked there and that it wasn’t used. A later complaint to Hungary’s equal treatment authority was also rejected.

Mr. Redzepi then joined with Cristina Marian, a Moldovan law student at the Central European University, and her teacher Peter Molnar, who is also Mr. Redzepi’s legal representative and an activist. Together they sought an apology from the author but only got one from the university’s vice president earlier this month.

”This is just the first step in our efforts to increase the number of Rome people teaching and studying at universities, to put an end to discrimination and to widen the representation of the diverse Roma culture,” Mr. Molnar said.

The Roma make up Europe’s largest minority with a population of 12 million. Prejudice and anti-Roma attitudes are widespread in central and eastern Europe, which have included attempted segregation in schools.

Vice President Zoltan Szanto said the university will offer a new scholarship to a Roma student starting in September for a Master of Arts degree in sociology. It will also include Roma mentorship on its curriculum to raise awareness and fight prejudice.

“People aren’t used to challenging things like that. I’d like to set an example: let’s show that it can be done, so that others can do it next time,” Mr. Redzepi said.

Mr. Redzepi, now a project manager at the Open Society Institute, was pleased with the university’s action but has pledged with Ms. Marian and Mr. Molnar to continue their fight. An appeal against the equal treatment authority’s rejection of the complaint was made and the team ready to go to the European Court of Human Rights.

“We want to give courage to all Roma students and teachers to stand up for their rights in similar cases,” Ms. Marian said.

Source: Wall Street Journal
Date: 14.06.2013

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 auf politischer Ebene, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Staatlicher Antiziganismus, Ungarn

Hungarian newspaper fined for Orban ally’s Roma slur

Hungary’s media regulator said Wednesday it was fining a pro-government newspaper over a column by a prominent right-wing journalist close to Prime Minister Viktor Orban describing the Roma minority as „animals“.Following a stabbing incident involving young Roma men, Zsolt Bayer, one of the founders of Orban’s Fidesz party, wrote in January: „Most Gypsies are not suitable for cohabitation. „They are not suitable for being among people. Most are animals, and behave like animals. They shouldn’t be tolerated or understood, but avenged. Animals should not exist. In no way,“ he said.
Orban has long been accused of pandering to the openly anti-Semitic and racist far-right Jobbik party and of presiding over a rise in xenophobia in the EU member state, although he says he abhors any such feelings.

The media regulator said that the article in the Magyar Hirlap newspaper, headlined „Those Who Shouldn’t Exist“, was „not in harmony with regulations on media content and press freedom pertaining to hate speech and discriminatory content.“

It said it was fining the newspaper 250,000 forints (833 euros, $1,120) and ordered it to publish the decision in both its print and online versions, while also prohibiting it from publishing similar content in the future. After the remarks sparked protests in Hungary and abroad Bayer said his comments were „deliberately misinterpreted“. „I don’t want to liquidate Gypsies, neither some of them nor a single one,“ he said. „I want order, I want every respectable Gypsy to be happy in this country and every Gypsy who is incapable of and unsuitable for living together to be excluded from society,“ he added.
The Roma people, also called Gypsies though many consider the term pejorative, are a minority in several eastern and central European countries.

Source: Global Post
Date: 08.05.2013