Czech Republic

Czech anti-racist activist Míra Brož: Pogroms with Romani deaths, or a Romani Malcolm X, may be the future

Ústí nad Labem, 10.9.2013 19:55, (ROMEA) In this interview with the pro-Romani activist Míra Brož of the Konexe civic association, we discuss the current situation among activists, the state of civil society, the role of nonprofit organizations, and the dangers flowing from both right-wing extremism and radicalization inside Romani communities in the Czech Republic.  full story

Czech Chief Rabbi: Racist prejudice in communities who have themselves been targeted by racism is especially damnable

Prague, 9.9.2013 23:45, (ROMEA) The Jewish people are celebrating the arrival of New Year 5774 and the subsequent holiday of Yom Kippur. Here in the Czech Republic, the start of the new year is accompanied by a rising wave of anti-Roma demonstrations organized by neo-Nazis and participated in by ordinary people.  full story

Commentary: Neo-Nazis don't belong in Kraslice, they just want money and violence

Kraslice, 7.9.2013 0:00, (ROMEA) Tomorrow a hate march will be held in the town of Kraslice in the Karlovy Vary region. Under the pretext of an election rally, the march is being convened by the neo-Nazi DSSS party, led by Tomáš Vandas.  full story

Czech state prosecutor objects to release of Romani people charged with Duchcov attack, they remain in custody

Duchcov, 6.9.2013 22:48, (ROMEA) The state prosecutor has filed a complaint against a recent decision to release from custody the three Romani people who assaulted a non-Romani married couple this past May in the town of Duchcov, an incident that prompted an ongoing series of anti-Roma demonstrations there. The defendants are remaining in custody for the time being.  full story

Commentary: Protection under the law applies to everyone equally, it's shameful to traffic in it

Prague, 6.9.2013 22:04, (ROMEA) When I read the news recently that representatives of a group of Roma in Ostrava had offered to turn in delinquents in exchange for better police protection against right-wing extremists, I thought it was a bad joke. It wasn't.  full story

Czech Police refute yet another false anti-Roma report spread by Duchcov DSSS cell

Duchcov, 5.9.2013 18:45, (ROMEA) The Duchcov cell of the right-wing extremist Workers' Social Justice Party (Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti - DSSS), which is led by convicted con artist Jindřich Svoboda, is continuing to do its best to spark anti-Romani sentiment there. Right-wing extremists have begun to spread untrue information about a Romani man allegedly breaking into a woman's apartment and attempting to rape her.  full story

Czech Republic: The two faces of ODS - Populism vs. reality

Prague, 4.9.2013 17:55, (ROMEA) On 23 August 2013, the press spokesperson for the Civic Democratic Party (Občanská demokratická strana - ODS) verbally promised that the party would be issuing a statement on the anti-Roma demonstrations planned for the next day across the country. The party has yet to issue an official statement on those events.  full story

Europe Roma International assembly in Prague calls for stricter laws against right-wing extremism

Prague, 3.9.2013 16:47, (ROMEA) At 14:00 today about 15 protesters gathered in Prague in front of the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic to deliver government representatives a declaration from the Europe Roma International (ERI) initiative. Miroslav Tancoš, chair of the Romani Democratic Party (Romská demokratická strana - RDS) read the declaration to the assembly.  full story

Analysis: Czech news outlet misleads readers by mastering Photoshop

Prague, 2.9.2013 22:04, (ROMEA) Have you always longed to become a regionally-recognized journalist whose articles will be read by many? Do you not know how to go about attracting that many readers? The Prostějov Evening News (Prostějovský Večerník) can advise you. Its editors have developed an effective system for achieving this. They have also demonstrated that they are more than proficient at working with Photoshop and have become first-class users of this technology in their field.  full story

Analysis: Czech NGO People in Need loses independence working with Provident Financial loan company

Prague, 2.9.2013 20:34, (ROMEA) The Provident Financial firm has launched a new TV ad. The message that will stick in many people's heads isn't that the company is offering new loans, but that it has connected its authority and name with the respected organization People in Need (Člověk v tísni).  full story

Commentary: Experts and extremists at Czech Television

Prague, 1.9.2013 22:21, (ROMEA) At public broadcaster Czech Television (ČT), anyone can be a sociologist. All it takes is to blame everything on the "inadaptables."  full story

Commentary: Frustration, political vacuum, and a society without vision

Prague, 1.9.2013 1:06, (ROMEA) It is both remarkable and symptomatic that the unrest in the Czech Republic this summer and the increasingly oppressive atmosphere in society is receiving no response from the country's political representatives. They are all so overwhelmed by their own operations, by the ongoing chaos and the "fight for parliamentary democracy" here that they have no energy left for what is going on beyond the walls of their party secretariats.  full story

Czech Police investigating four neo-Nazis for rioting in Duchcov after Saturday's march

Duchcov, 29.8.2013 19:13, (ROMEA) Police are investigating some of the participants in last Saturday's neo-Nazi march in Duchcov for rioting and vandalism committed after the event was over. Four men aged between 20 and 31 smashed in the glass doors and windows of many buildings and most probably set fire to a garbage container as they proceeded to the bus station after the demonstration.  full story

Czech Police don't yet see racial motive in case where neo-Nazis yelled "the ovens are fired up"

Děčín, 29.8.2013 17:53, (ROMEA) Police spokesperson Petra Trypesová responded yesterday to questions posed to her by news server Romea.cz about a public neo-Nazi event in the town of Děčín that was never announced to authorities and took place on Sunday 18 August at around 18:00. As we previously reported here (http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/czech-republic-neo-nazis-assault-roma-with-rocks-shouting-today-you-die-the-ovens-are-fired-up), violent thugs physically and verbally assaulted Romani people living on Kamenická Street in Děčín that day.  full story

Czech TV journalist of Romani origin: I was threatened during Saturday's demonstration

Prague, 28.8.2013 17:41, (ROMEA) On Saturday, 24 August, I had to once again set out to cover one of the dozens of demonstrations that have been organized by the DSSS in this country. From past experience, I knew what to expect.  full story

Czech experts warn politicians to address anti-Roma racism or there will be pogroms

Prague, 27.8.2013 21:12, (ROMEA) In the struggle for coexistence between the Romani minority and the rest of the population, optimists are getting the short end of the stick now more than ever before. Last Saturday's coordinated, simultaneous racist marches in six towns, the biggest event of its kind in the history of the country, were proof enough of this.  full story

Hundreds protest Czech Television for featuring "expert" who defended violent racists

Prague, 26.8.2013 21:53, (ROMEA) On Saturday, 24 August, the public broadcaster Czech Television included a populist-tinged report about that day's anti-Roma march in Ostrava as part of its "News in the Regions" program (Události v regionech). The program invited a Mr Jiří Siostrzonek to comment, incorrectly identifying him as a sociologist studying the Romani issue.  full story

Czech Republic: Anti-Roma marches result in 101 people detained

Prague, 26.8.2013 4:51, (ROMEA) Police Presidium spokesperson Ivana Ježková has told the Czech News Agency that police detained a total of 101 people in four towns across the Czech Republic during the anti-Romani demonstrations and marches on Saturday, 24 August. Those detained are suspected of committing either misdemeanor or felony offenses.  full story

Czech Republic: Neo-Nazis provoke Romani families in Duchcov at night after protests are over

Duchcov, 26.8.2013 4:14, (ROMEA) News server Romea.cz is investigating reports that neo-Nazis provoked Romani residents of Duchcov during the night of Saturday, 24 August, setting off fireworks near Romani-occupied buildings. Altercations reportedly also occurred.  full story

Czech President condemns anti-Roma marches by neo-Nazis

Lány, 26.8.2013 3:28, (ROMEA) Czech President Miloš Zeman has condemned the anti-Roma demonstrations and marches through Czech towns that took place on Saturday, 24 August. Speaking on the program "Conversations from Lány", which is broadcast by Czech Radio's Radiožurnál station, Zeman said that in order to improve the situation of socially vulnerable Romani people there is a need to break down what he termed the "white mafia" through which welfare is being abused and to support employment through greater investment.  full story