Category Archives: Posts in English

Fundstücke, Posts in English, Ungarn

Hungary promises to tackle far-right vigilantes after four hurt in clashes

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HUNGARY’S GOVERNMENT has vowed to crack down on uniformed far-right groups after four people were injured in fighting between ultra-nationalist vigilantes and members of the Roma community.

The clash in the village of Gyöngyöspata came just days after almost 300 local Roma women and children left their homes for the Easter weekend, when a paramilitary group called Vedero, or Defence Force, set up a “training camp” in the area.

Members of Hungary’s centre-right Fidesz government, which holds the European Union’s rotating presidency, denied the Roma had been “evacuated” and accused critics of trying to make political capital from the incident.

But they were quick yesterday to promise legal action against a host of far-right vigilante groups, which claim to be bringing order to neglected, impoverished areas of Hungary where the underfunded police force allegedly cannot cope with “Gypsy crime”.

Police said one of the four people injured was in a serious condition after the fight overnight between Vedero members and Roma, and that a number of arrests had been made. Local media quoted witnesses as saying the fight broke out after Vedero members threw stones at a Roma house and attacked a teenager.

“The government is proposing to make the penal code stricter given the emergence of a new form of criminality: uniformed criminality,” said spokesman Peter Szijjarto.

“Those walking around in uniform, pretending they are authorised to take measures against others, these people are criminals. We’ll stop this form of crime,” he added. “According to the proposal, those who spread terror with actions meant to impose order or pretending to impose order will be jailed for up to two years”, and if a particular community is targeted, “this will be considered an aggravating circumstance and could lead to three years in prison”.

Most of the paramilitary groups are linked to Jobbik, the far-right party that is the third-strongest force in Hungarian politics.

Senior Jobbik MP Janos Volner said the incident showed “a crisis in public safety has emerged”.

“The Fidesz government is incapable of guaranteeing law and order anywhere in the country,” he said. “A civil militia should be established in place of the woeful and uncertain police . . . because without unified order the government will not be capable of taking up the fight against this kind of Gypsy crime.”

Quelle: Irish Times
Stand: 20.04.2011

Antiziganismus von Rechts, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Ungarn

Neo-Nazi patrols „banned“ in Hungarian Roma village

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GYONGYOSPATA — The Hungarian police have reacted to a neo-Nazi vigilante group’s patrols, which brought fear into a Roma (Gypsy) village.

Previously, the Roma from the village of Gyongyospata decided to evacuate hundreds of women and children, who left their homes on Red Cross buses.
This decision came after the group, calling itself Vedero and described in initial reports as „far-right“, set up a camp near their homes.
The group’s uniformed members then started paroling the village streets.
The local police refused to react, which prompted the evacuation of the villagers.
The Hungarian government, however, reacted by „banning the patrols“, said reports.
Interior Minister Sandor Pinter also gave his assurances that the harassment of the locals would not happen again, while the government announced the members of the extreme group would be fined with EUR 400 each.

On Saturday, strong police forces maintained order in the village, making sure there were no clashes between the „militia“ and the local Roma, a Red Cross representative told reporters.

Quelle: B92
Stand: 23.04.2011

Analyse und Kritik des Antiziganismus, Fundstücke, Nord Irland, Posts in English

Man in court over ‚anti-Traveller‘ Facebook page

A man has appeared in court in relation to the alleged publication of racist material on the social networking site, Facebook.

Patrick Kissane (27), pictured right, of Knockasarnett, Killarney, Co Kerry, is accused of actions likely to stir up hatred on December 1, 2009.

Judge James O’Connor adjourned the matter at Killarney District Court yesterday until July.

Inspector Martin McCarthy requested the case be adjourned to get the views of the Director for Public Prosecutions because of the unusual nature of the case.

It relates to the setting up of an anti-Traveller Facebook page called ‚Promote the use of knacker babies as bait‘.

The site is understood to have attracted 664 fans before it was removed by Facebook last July following a number of complaints. If the case goes ahead, it will mark the first time that anyone has been brought before the courts for publishing online racism.

Among those who filed the original complaints were members of Pavee Point, the Kerry Travellers‘ Development Group and the Waterford Travellers‘ Development Project.

Quelle: Belfast Telegraph
Stand: 20.04.2011

Fundstücke, Posts in English, Staatlicher Antiziganismus, Tschechien

Czech Police brutally disrupt religious gathering of hundreds of Roma people

Today on the streets of the Czech town of Krupka (population 15 000) promoters of the extreme-right Workers‘ Social Justice Party (Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti – DSSS) and the neo-Nazi groups Autonomous Nationalists (Autonomní nacionalisté – AN) and National Resistance (Národní odpor – NO) held a demonstration. At one point along the route of the neo-Nazi march, a religious service was held and attended by several hundred people, most of them Roma. Police brutally intervened against the service with truncheons, beating even the clergyman leading it, according to eyewitnesses. A total of seven people were arrested.

The DSSS demonstrators, whose flags and other symbols made it clear they were predominantly extreme-right sympathizers, gathered at the train station to march into the town. Police estimated their numbers to be roughly 150 total. Continue reading Czech Police brutally disrupt religious gathering of hundreds of Roma people →

Analyse und Kritik des Antiziganismus, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Slowakei, Tschechien, Ungarn

Imperfect Justice: Anti-Roma Violence and Impunity

Budapest, 6 April 2011: Many Romani victims of violent attacks do not secure justice, according to the findings of research undertaken by the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia.

In a significant number of countries, violence against Roma is a serious and ongoing problem. Not only because it harms the Roma directly affected by the attack, but Roma as an ethnic group are impacted by the lack of effective response by State authorities. While Roma are often described as a vulnerable group in Governments’ policies, little of this understanding is visible in the practice of police and other responsible State authorities in addressing anti-Roma violence. Continue reading Imperfect Justice: Anti-Roma Violence and Impunity →

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

EU strategy on Roma inclusion

European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek made the following statement on the adoption of the European Parliament report on the EU’s strategy on Roma inclusion:

„I welcome the adoption of the report by the EP as a step forward on Roma inclusion. I pay tribute to our Rapporteur Lívia Járóka for guiding this important report through the European Parliament. If we preach human rights around the world, we also need to respect them particularly in our own backyard.

In particular, the European Parliament calls for equal access for Roma to employment, education and quality housing, the protection of fundamental rights, better use of EU funding and fighting against discrimination at all levels. This will require greater effort from local, national and EU authorities. Continue reading EU strategy on Roma inclusion →

Antiziganistische Übergriffe, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Tschechien

Czech court increases sentences for Bedřiška arson on appeal

The High Court in Olomouc has handed down stricter sentences than the first instance court did in the case of an arson attack on a Roma home in the Bedřiška settlement of Ostrava. Instead of suspended sentences, the youth whom the court found responsible for the attack will serve four years in prison and his mother 7.5 years. The High Court judged the youngster’s crime to be attempted reckless endangerment, while his mother was convicted of abetting reckless endangerment.

The son was originally sentenced by the Regional Court in Ostrava to a three-year suspended sentence for attempted reckless endangerment, while his mother was originally given an 18-month suspended sentence for not preventing her son from throwing the Molotov cocktail. No one was injured during the attack, as the fire was put out before the bottle could explode. Continue reading Czech court increases sentences for Bedřiška arson on appeal →

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

Two gatherings against racism and neo-Nazism planned for Nový Bydžov

In response to a march announced for Saturday 12 March by the Workers‘ Social Justice Party (Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti – DSSS) in the town of Nový Bydžov, which neo-Nazis are planning to support, two other gatherings against neo-Nazism and racism have been scheduled there. The Nový Bydžov is not alone! Initiative (Iniciativa Nový Bydžov není sám!) is planning a peaceful, non-violent gathering in the town. This will complement a previously announced student gathering which the Mayor of Nový Bydžov speculates will be a gathering of left-wing extremists. According to the Nový Bydžov is not alone! declaration, those signed up to the Initiative will actively come out against racism, neo-Nazism, and crime. „We condemn all criminal acts, but we reject the principle of collective guilt being exploited as part of anti-Roma rhetoric,“ Initiative representatives told news server Romea.cz. Continue reading Two gatherings against racism and neo-Nazism planned for Nový Bydžov →

Analyse und Kritik des Antiziganismus, Antiziganismus von Rechts, Fundstücke, Posts in English, Tschechien

Antiziganism and neo-nazi activity

Novy Bydzov is a small town of around 7.000 people located on the east
from Prague, about one hour driving away. Recently it hit news because
of the so-called racial tension between Roma population and white
inhabitants, followed by the official statement of the Major of the town saying „Roma people rape, steal and loot in the middle of the day“.

Neo-nazis smelt their chance and call for a march through the town.
Their march is organized by the same people as the serious attempt to
mass attack on Roma population in Litvinov two years ago. Translated
call for action follows: Continue reading Antiziganism and neo-nazi activity →

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

Verdict tomorrow on attempted pogrom in Czech town after two and a half years of delay

Tomorrow (Thursday 24 February 2011) the Regional Court in Ostrava should announce a first-instance verdict in the case of those accused of committing a targeted racist attack on randomly selected Roma people in two neighborhoods of the North Moravian town of Havířov. In 2009, the High Court in Olomouc decided the case could be qualified as attempted murder. The case was therefore removed from the docket of the District Court in Karviná and transferred to the Regional Court.

Almost two and a half years have passed since the crime was committed, and the defendants have been at liberty during that time. The state prosecutor has charged eight young men with committing a racially motivated, targeted gang attack on Roma people in the neighborhoods of Šumbark and Prostřední Suchá in Havířov. One of the victims has suffered permanent damage to his health as a result of the attack. By law the trial will be closed, as one of the defendants was not yet 18 years old at the time of the crime. The announcement of the verdict, however, will be public. Continue reading Verdict tomorrow on attempted pogrom in Czech town after two and a half years of delay →