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Analysis: Refugees, the past, Chairman Vodička, and the Russian path of the Czech Fighters' Union

19.5.2016 13:03 Jaroslav Vodička, chair of the Czech Freedom Fighters' Union (ČSBS) caused a certain amount of disarray - as well as an engaging, spontaneous reaction of rejection from Chief Rabbi Karol Sidon - when he gave a speech at Sunday's commemorative assembly in Terezín that included generalizing, xenophobic blather about refugees. Because Mr Vodička echoes [Czech President] Miloš Zeman (whom he supported during his presidential campaign and with whom he has exchanged medals), and because recently the ČSBS has been joined not just by the President, but also by several other bizarre figures in public life here (the group's cell in Lidice is led by Jana Bobošíková, presidential spokesperson Ovčáček has joined, etc.), the impression might arise that the Union has only now, during these new conditions of rule by [Czech
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister] Babiš and Zeman, been infiltrated by nationalist/populist "elements" who have stolen it from the anti-Nazi resistance fighters and are now abusing it.  full story

KHAMORO 2016 in its 18th year - concerts, exhibitions, seminars, theater and much more

18.5.2016 19:10 The world's biggest and most famous Romani festival in the world, KHAMORO, is heading to Prague for the 18th time. It will run from 29 May to 4 June 2016 and, as in previous years, offers a broad range of cultural events.  full story

European Roma and Travellers Forum expresses support for Czech NGOs seeking to fly the rainbow and Roma flags at Terezín

18.5.2016 16:47 The European Roma and Travellers Forum (ERTF) has sent Jan Munk, the director of the Terezín Memorial who also chairs the Commission for the Preparation of the Terezín Commemoration, a letter expressing its agreement with the 14 nonprofit organizations who asked that both the LGBT community's rainbow flag and the international Romani flag be flown during the commemorative ceremony at Terezín this year. Munk rejected the request at the beginning of May for the flags to be included alongside state flags during the 15 May event.
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Opponents of Czech President reserve historically significant location to honor the democratic transition this November

18.5.2016 11:47 There is great interest in holding public events in Prague this year on the 17 November state holiday. On the very first day that it was possible to announce such events, Prague City Hall has recorded an enormous number of them, according to spokesperson Vít Hofman.  full story

Czech Republic: Canadian education expert says only an inclusive school is a really good school

18.5.2016 10:25 "Good teachers who get enough support can achieve even better results with their pupils than special educators in special schools can," said Gordon Porter, a leading expert on inclusive education, during an event on 16 May at the Canadian Embassy in Prague. Porter was invited to the Czech Republic by Open Society Fund Prague to share his many years of experience with inclusion in Canada.
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Statement of the Alliance for the European Roma Institute on the 72nd Anniversary of the Romani Uprising in Auschwitz-Birkenau

18.5.2016 9:50 Today, May 16, 2016, marks the 72nd anniversary of the uprising in the so-called zigeunerlager, “Gypsy Camp,” in Auschwitz-Birkenau. On May 15, 1944, the SS ordered the extermination of the 6,500 women, men and children imprisoned in the zigeunerlager. On the evening of May 16, as the SS trucks surrounded the camp, ordering its inhabitants outside, the Roma and Sinti prisoners refused to come out of the barracks. With stones, work tools, sticks and crudely made weapons, they fought off the SS guards. Such refusal, such resistance, was unprecedented; after a tense face-off, the SS command was ordered to leave the camp and, for the moment, its inhabitants were saved.  full story

Member of Czech Freedom Fighters' Union says chair did not speak for her during the Terezín commemoration

17.5.2016 15:02 As a member of the Founding Organization of the Czech Freedom Fighters' Union (ČSBS) in Kladno, I must respond to the speech given by the chair of the ČSBS, Jaroslav Vodička, on behalf of all the members of the ČSBS during the official speeches at the Terezín commemoration on 15 May 2016. Speaking as a representative of the ČSBS, Vodička called for protecting our borders against refugees and for the protection of our culture.  full story

Czech Govt Agency for Social Inclusion reviews local group working with Romani children after its head attacks the HateFree Culture initiative

17.5.2016 14:00 The Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion perceives the current situation regarding remarks made by the chair of the Lampa organization, Jiří Hanzl, to the media and on social networking sites to be serious and will propose an agenda item for discussing this situation during the next meeting of its Local Partnership in the town of Ralsko. Agency Director Radek Jiránek announced the proposal in a statement released today.  full story

Czech Jewish Community says speeches at Terezín commemoration were anti-German, nationalist and xenophobic

17.5.2016 11:38 Jewish communities in the Czech Republic say the speech given by the chair of the Czech Senate, Milan Štěch (Czech Social Democratic Party - ČSSD) during Sunday's commemoration at Terezín was anti-German and nationalist. Likewise, the speech given by the head of the Czech Freedom Fighters' Union, Jaroslav Vodička, was xenophobic because of the remarks it included about refugees.  full story

Czech Republic: Demonstration in Prague calls on EU to stop subsidizing pig farm on Romani Holocaust site

17.5.2016 10:15 Monday, 16 May was the International Day of Romani Resistance, a day to honor the memory of the Romani victims of the Holocaust and the heroic uprising of Romani people in the Auschwitz concentration camp. On that occasion the Konexe organization held a demonstration in front of the EU House, the headquarters of the representation of the European Commission and European Parliament in the Czech Republic.  full story

Chair of Czech Freedom Fighters' Union makes anti-refugee speech during Terezín commemoration, Chief Rabbi objects on the spot

17.5.2016 8:16 On 15 May, participants in the Terezín Commemoration Ceremony remembered the victims of Nazi persecution at the National Cemetery in front of the Small Fortress at the Terezín Memorial. The chair of the Czech Freedom Fighters' Union (Český svaz bojovníků za svobodu - ČSBS), Jaroslav Vodička, gave an anti-refugee, xenophobic speech, to which Chief Rabbi Karol Sidon gave an emotional response.  full story

video Czech Republic: Five charged for neo-Nazi assault on demonstration in favor of receiving refugees

16.5.2016 8:42 Prague Police officers have launched the prosecutions of five men who rioted in February during an incident on Thunovská Street in Prague. Masked rioters assaulted a march by activists who were supporting migrants.  full story

Czech Govt Agency for Social Inclusion's dilemma: What to do with haters of "HateFree" who work with Romani children?

14.5.2016 9:55 "Come take a look" says Romana Hanzlová as she welcomes me into the Lampa center in the town of Mimoň. The club is pleasantly furnished with a ping-pong table around which several people are sitting, the atmosphere is friendly.  full story

Czech Republic: Pig farm at Lety will apparently remain on Romani Holocaust site, talks are going nowhere

13.5.2016 21:57 The pig farm currently occupying the site of the former concentration camp for Romani people at Lety by Písek will apparently remain there. Czech Human Rights Minister Jiří Dienstbier (Czech Social Democratic Party - ČSSD), who has led several negotiations with the owner, says no concrete conclusion has arisen from the dialogue.  full story

videoVIDEO: Commemorative ceremony at Lety by Písek

13.5.2016 19:43 The traditional commemorative ceremony honoring the Romani victims of Nazism took place today at the Lety Memorial. The commemoration was organized, as it is every year, by the Committee for the Redress of the Romani Holocaust in the Czech Republic (Výbor pro odškodnění romského holocaustu v České republice - VPORH), which brings together the former Romani prisoners of the Nazi concentration camps and the surviving relatives of the victims.  full story

Speech by Miroslav Brož at Lety by Písek

13.5.2016 13:56 It is mid-May and we have assembled, as we do every year, to honor the memory of the Romani victims of the Holocaust, to remember the victims of the Lety concentration camp, and to remember the victims of the genocide perpetrated against the Romani people.  full story

Czech Republic: "Romani Resistance Days" to involve symbolic blockade of Lety pig farm, protest in Prague

12.5.2016 14:14 The Konexe association is preparing a program to honor the memories of the victims of the Romani Holocaust and the heroic uprising of Romani people at the Auschwitz concentration camp. The events will take place from 13-16 May in the Czech Republic.  full story

DG Justice seminar series on improving media coverage of Romani people comes to the Czech Republic

11.5.2016 7:58 A two-day international media seminar began in Brno yesterday, attended by representatives of the Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission for Roma Community Affairs, nonprofit organizations, the Romani community, and domestic and international journalists. Organizers say the aim of the seminar is to develop closer communication between journalists, municipalities, local authorities and organizations in order to support more balanced, precise coverage of Romani issues in both alternative and mainstream media throughout Europe.  full story

Czech report on extremism for last year: 307 events, anti-refugee protests replaced anti-Romani ones

8.5.2016 16:59 Czech extremists held 307 events last year, 16 more than in 2014. They assembled most frequently in Prague, and police reported protests outside of facilities for foreign nationals as a new phenomenon.  full story

Hundreds protest border closure between Austria and Italy and demand a border-free Europe

8.5.2016 15:32 Hundreds of demonstrators clashed with police yesterday at the Brenner Pass in the Alps that connects Austria with Italy. The demonstrators were mostly young left-wing radicals from Italy who attempted to cross the border, which Austria is preparing to establish checkpoints at to stop any eventual flow of migrants into the country.  full story