Roughly 150 supporters of the right-wing extremist Workers‘ Social Justice Party (Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti – DSSS) and the Workers‘ Youth (Dělnická mládeže – DM) gathered on 1 May to demonstrate in Prague. The right-wing radicals threw cobblestones and glass or plastic bottles at counter-demonstrators objecting to their neo-Nazism who marched past just after 15:00 near Na můstku street. One of the cobblestones struck a Romani activist from the Hate is No Solution initiative, Jozef Miker. The aggressive neo-Nazis also injured three police officers. One neo-Nazi was arrested for assaulting an officer.
The ultra-right supporters gathered at 14:00 at the bottom of Wenceslas Square, where several people gave speeches. DSSS chair Tomáš Vandas opened the demonstration by criticizing Czech PM Petr Nečas (Civic Democrats – ODS) for preserving his existing cabinet through the support of the Public Affairs (VV) MPs who want to see Deputy Prime Minister Karolína Peake (VV) stay in office. Vandas said the PM would do better to call early elections. He then went on to give his usual remarks, attacking Romani people and also news server Romea.cz. During its on-line reporting of the demonstration in real time, news server iDNES.cz said the DSSS leader made the following deceptive claims: „Tomáš Vandas is criticizing police reform, wiretapping, and says he is bothered by government support for news server Romea.cz.“ Continue reading Neo-Nazis strike Romani activist in the head with cobblestone during Prague demonstration
Category Archives: Tschechien
Czech Republic: Romani people attacked and ostracized despite voicing condemnation of recent assault
The recent commission of a violent crime which the Czech media and the victim allege was committed by Romani people has prompted a wave of ostracism among the non-Romani residents of the town of Břeclav. The IQ Roma servis civic association, which works with Romani people in Břeclav, is now speaking up after conducting interviews with many of their adult and child clients, bringing forward the authentic feelings, opinions and testimonies of members of the Romani community about this situation.
Young Romani people in Břeclav are currently being subjected to behavior which they perceive as an assault on their basic human rights, be it when they are online, out in public, or in the schools. Some of them, especially the youngest of them, do not understand the majority society’s behavior and are afraid. The pedagogical staff of IQ Roma servis, who work daily with these youth at a recreational club and during individual instruction, have noted an impact on these children’s basic self-respect and sense of belonging to Czech society as well as their increased anxiety. Continue reading Czech Republic: Romani people attacked and ostracized despite voicing condemnation of recent assault
Analysis: Czech ultra-right hates immigrants – except when they can use them against Roma
There is no doubt that the Workers‘ Social Justice Party (Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti – DSSS) and its related offshoot, the Workers‘ Youth (Dělnická mládež – DM), are a political force in the Czech Republic against immigrants, migrants and refugees. Even though the party has led a hate campaign against migrants for many years, it has now decided to make propaganda use of a Ukrainian family in Břeclav, exploiting their recent misfortune to foment hatred against Romani people as a whole. The DM is planning an anti-Romani demonstration in Břeclav tomorrow at which DSSS chair Tomáš Vandas will also appear.
In recent years, the DM and DSSS have made countless hateful statements about asylum seekers and immigrants. Let’s take a look at some of the more extreme examples.
„Our beautiful Czech land is being deluged by a destructive wave of immigration that is destroying everything beautiful here. We do not intend to tolerate this filth,“ Vandas said at one of his demonstrations. Footage of him making this statement was broadcast in a report by TV Nova on its news program on 18 April. Continue reading Analysis: Czech ultra-right hates immigrants – except when they can use them against Roma
Romani people are the Czech Republic’s least-liked minority group, relations toward them are deteriorating
Romani people comprise the national minority in the Czech Republic that is liked the least. Of Czech men and women over the age of 15, 78 % dislike Romani people, with only 7 % saying they like them. The relationship of Czech society toward Romani people deteriorated even further during the past year. Ethnic Slovaks, however, continue to be the most-liked minority. These are the results of a March survey of a total of 1 053 respondents on attitudes toward the country’s 16 national minorities, conducted by the Center for Public Opinion Research (Centrum pro výzkum veřejného mínění – CVVM) and provided to the Czech Press Agency.
One year ago, 12 % of Czechs surveyed said they liked Romani people and 74 % said they did not. This March, only 7 % of people over 15 said they like Romani people, while 78 % said they dislike them. A total of 41 % of respondents said they greatly dislike Romani people, who were the least-favored of any national minority, ranked at 5.69 on a scale of 1 to 7.
Albanians are the second least-liked minority in the Czech Republic. Only 15 % of Czechs like Albanians, with 48 % disliking them. They were ranked 4.75 on a scale of 1 to 7. The third least-liked minority, ranked at 4.64, are Ukrainians. Only 20 % of Czechs like them, while 51 % do not.
Czechs like themselves the most, followed by Slovaks; 88 % of people like ethnic Slovaks, with every 25th person expressing dislike for them. They were ranked at 2.16 on the 1 to 7 scale. Czechs evaluated themselves as the most likable, with 89 % saying they liked ethnic Czechs and every 50th person saying they dislike ethnic Czechs. The third most-liked minority are the Poles, with more than two-thirds of respondents liking them and every ninth respondent disliking them. Jewish people came in fourth place, with 13 % of respondents disliking them and 47 % liking them. One-third of Czechs feel antipathy toward Vietnamese people, while 35 % like them.
The authors of the research say Czechs aged between 30 and 44 most frequently like German people. Respondents who evaluated their own standard of living as poor harbor the greatest dislike of Albanians, Bulgarians, Chinese, Germans, Greeks, Hungarians, Jews, Poles, Romanians, Serbians, Ukrainians and Vietnamese. Respondents with a good standard of living expressed the most favor toward Chinese, Germans, Greeks, Jews Romanians and Vietnamese, according to CVVM.
Source: Romea.cz
Date: 14.04.2012
Neo-Nazis heading to Czech town for anti-Romani demonstration
The ultra-right extremist Workers‘ Youth (Dělnická mládež – DM) is convening a protest this Sunday in Břeclav to support a 15-year-old boy who was brutally beaten by three allegedly Romani men over the weekend there. The boy has been hospitalized and is in critical condition. Up to 1 000 people are expected to attend the event, which will culminate in a march through the center of town. Břeclav municipality spokesperson Eliška Windová informed the Czech Press Agency of the upcoming march today.
The march is announced as beginning at 9:00 AM CET and lasting until 20:00 on Sunday. It will start at the main train station in Břeclav. „The announcers met the legal requirements for the event to take place. For the time being there is no reason to ban it,“ the town spokesperson said.
The DM is an offshoot of the ultra-right radical Workers‘ Social Justice Party (Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti – DSSS). Sunday’s march was originally planned under completely different circumstances – friends of the beaten boy wanted to hold a „March for Little Peter and Our Security“ and announced the event on Facebook. Almost 1 000 people promised to attend it. During the ensuing online discussion, the issue of who should take up organizing the demonstration was raised. The DM then officially announced to the town hall that it was convening the protest.
The DSSS has already condemned the attack on the boy. „Given the fact that a large number of citizens are turning to us with requests for help about this case, the Workers‘ Party is prepared to support all events held in support of the beaten boy,“ DSSS Vice-Chair Jiří Štěpánek told the Czech Press Agency today. Numerous Romani organizations have also condemned the incident.
Petra Vedrová, a spokesperson for the South Moravian Police, told the Czech Press Agency today that police are following the circumstances around the protest and will take appropriate security measures on Sunday. Yesterday Mayor of Břeclav Oldřich Ryšavý (Czech Social Democrats – ČSSD) warned against the event turning into an anti-Romani demonstration. He also called the assailants „human beasts“ who must be apprehended.
The boy was assaulted by three men on Sunday evening. He testified that they were dark-skinned. One reportedly asked him for a cigarette. When the boy said he didn’t have one, the men beat him brutally. The boy telephoned his mother, who took him to the hospital, where he was operated on immediately. Doctors removed one of his kidneys and said his liver is also damaged. His mother told the media that the assailants were not interested in money, because they did not rob her son. Allegedly they just wanted to take their aggression out on him. The perpetrators face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Source: Romea.cz
Date: 18.04.2012
Czech Republic: Ultra-right party plans march on Romani residences this Saturday
The Worker’s Social Justice Party (Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti – DSSS) has announced a „March on Chanov“ for Saturday, 7 April. That date is also the date this year of the Christian holiday of Holy Saturday and the Jewish holiday of Passover. During their provocation, the ultra-right extremists intend to march from the Most train station to the Chanov housing estate and to make speeches there on Zlatnická street.
The „Hate is No Solution“ (Nenávist není řešení) initiative has decided to take action against this provocation. News server Romea.cz publishes their press release below, translated in full.
Press Release of the Hate is No Solution initiative Continue reading Czech Republic: Ultra-right party plans march on Romani residences this Saturday
Ostermarsch gegen Roma
Tschechien (Most/Chanov) – Die tschechische Neonazi-Partei „Delickna strana socialni spravedlnosti“ (DSSS; Arbeiterpartei für soziale Gerechtigkeit“) will am kommenden Samstag im nordböhmischen Most und Chanov gegen Roma aufmarschieren.
Der Neonazi-Aufmarsch am Ostersamstag beginnt in der 70.000 Einwohner zählenden Stadt Most und führt dann in die 1.500 Einwohner zählende Gemeinde Chanov. Weit über 90 Prozent der dort eingepfercht zwischen Autobahn, Eisenbahnschienen und Brachland wohnenden Menschen sind Roma.
Aufgerufen zu der Neonazi-Demonstration wird auch auf der Homepage des „Nationalen Widerstands“ Tschechiens, „Národní odpor“. Gegen die braune Provokation macht die zivilgesellschaftliche Organisation „The ‘Hate is No Solution’“ („Nenávist není řešení“) mobil.
Die DSSS, die enge Kontakte zur NPD pflegt, ist die Nachfolgepartei der im Februar 2010 vom Obersten tschechischen Verwaltungsgericht verbotenen militant Roma-feindlichen „Arbeiterpartei“ („Delickna strana“, DS). Das Gericht hatte das Verbot der DS unter anderem damit begründet, dass diese Kundgebungen organisiert hätte, die zu pogromähnlicher Randale gegen Roma führten.
Quelle: Blick nach Rechts
Stand: 03.04.2012
Rechter Grenzverkehr
Gemeinsame Aufmärsche und Konzerte: Neonazis aus Deutschland und Tschechien suchen die Zusammenarbeit. NPD-Mitglieder aus Sachsen bei Demonstrationen gegen Roma
Zwischen deutschen und tschechischen Neonazis entwickelt sich seit einigen Jahren eine enge Kooperation. Das bestätigte die Bundesregierung in ihrer Antwort auf eine kleine Anfrage der Linksfraktion. Die tschechischen Neonazis wollen vom »reichen Erfahrungsschatz« der NPD profitieren, um »das gleiche mit ähnlichen Methoden in der Tschechischen Republik zu erreichen«, erklärte demnach Tomas Vandas, Vorsitzender der tschechischen neonazistischen »Arbeiterpartei für Soziale Gerechtigkeit« (DSSS).
Ein Beispiel für die organisierte Zusammenarbeit zwischen NPD und DSSS ist die Jahresfeier des NPD-Verlages Deutsche Stimme im April 2011 in Riesa. Dort wurde mit dem »Manifest z Riesy/Manifest von Riesa« eine engere Kooperation vereinbart. In der Folge trafen sich Ende Mai 2011 die Vorsitzenden beider Parteien in Prag. Continue reading Rechter Grenzverkehr
Czech Police recommend Romani residents stay home during ultra-right march
A meeting was held today at the community center at the Chanov housing estate in Most between representatives of the church, the Hate is No Solution initiative, the municipal and state police, and local residents. The main aim of the meeting was to agree on a common approach toward Saturday’s march at Chanov by supporters of the Workers‘ Social Justice Party (Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti – DSSS) and radical neo-Nazis from the National Resistance (Národní odpor – NO), who will be demonstrating their strength beneath the windows of the Romani families who live there. ROMEA TV requested permission to film today’s meeting, but the organizers would not permit it.
The community center discussion was completely dominated by police representatives and their paradoxical tactical recommendation of „Don’t be afraid – stay home“. Opening remarks were made by the director of the Municipal Police in Most, Bronislav Schwarz. His speech to the Romani residents, expressed in very familiar language that involved a fair amount of vulgarity, clearly communicated that it would be best for Chanov residents to remain shut up at home and that they neither express themselves nor show themselves during the march. “Don’t be terrorized, just stay home. This is all just journalists bullshitting that someone is coming here. No one’s coming here,“ Schwarz recommended.
What Schwarz thinks of Romani people was recently revealed in a statement he gave to the tabloid news server Parlamentnílisty.cz. He was quoted by them as saying that „out of 100 Gypsies, 10 are decent and hardworking, and we shouldn’t throw them into the same bag as the rotten ones.“ Continue reading Czech Police recommend Romani residents stay home during ultra-right march
Anti-Roma Violence in Czech Republic Must End
The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), Amnesty International and the Hate Is No Solution Coalition, sent a letter today calling for authorities to act against anti-Roma violence in Czech Republic.
The organisations are calling on authorities in Czech Republic to take urgent measures to prevent further attacks, to protect Roma from discriminatory violence and to ensure that all attacks are subject to a full and effective investigation.
There have been 23 violent attacks that have resulted in three deaths in the last six months, according to media reports. At least 16 anti-Roma rallies have taken place in the last year. And the ERRC is also aware of 11 arson attacks against the homes of Roma families in recent years.
Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe recently published his report on the Human Rights of Roma and Travellers in Europe. It drew attention to the violent attacks against Roma in Czech Republic. Continue reading Anti-Roma Violence in Czech Republic Must End