News

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

Czech Republic: 1 500 people attend anti-Roma hate marches in eight towns

Prague, 25.8.2013 3:10, (ROMEA) Roughly 1 500 people attended hateful anti-Roma demonstrations and marches in eight towns across the Czech Republic on 24 August. The most dramatic situation was in Ostrava, where hundreds of neo-Nazis attempted a pogrom against Romani residents.  full story

Czech Republic: Hundreds of rampaging neo-Nazis attempt pogrom against Romani people in Ostrava

Ostrava, 25.8.2013 0:29, (ROMEA) An anti-Roma march by neo-Nazis attended by between 600 - 800 people ended in clashes with police today in Ostrava. Police arrested more than 60 people and both neo-Nazis and police officers were injured.  full story

Czech Republic: Real time coverage online of more than five simultaneous anti-Roma hate marches

Prague, 24.8.2013 21:07, (ROMEA) Neo-Nazis announced hate marches against Romani people in five towns across the Czech Republic for Saturday, 24 August 2013: České Budějovice, Duchcov, Jičín, Ostrava and Plzeň. News server Romea.cz followed the situation on-line, beginning with the afternoon of Friday, 23 August 2013.  full story

Czech Republic: Racists attack Romani people in Smržovka

Smržovka, 24.8.2013 0:57, (ROMEA) Regional police spokesperson Ivana Baláková has informed the Czech News Agency that detectives are investigating an attack by racists in the town of Smržovka (Jablonec district) where a piece of plaster was allegedly thrown into the window of a Romani family's home while racist slogans were shouted. Police know the names of the assailants, who are said to be football hooligans, and detectives suspect them of supporting and promoting movements aimed at suppressing human rights and freedoms, as well as of rioting.  full story

Czech Republic: Police preparing for five anti-Roma marches organized by neo-Nazis tomorrow around the country

Prague, 23.8.2013 21:54, (ROMEA) Police are intensively preparing for anti-Roma marches that have been announced by right-wing extremists for Saturday, 24 August in five towns around the Czech Republic so far. Police Presidium spokesperson has Ivana Ježková published a list of the demonstration locations on the presidium website.  full story

Bishop Lobkowicz: Each of us should clearly say NO to all manifestations of racism

Ostrava, 23.8.2013 0:14, (ROMEA) The Bishop of the Ostrava-Opava Diocese, Mons. František Václav Lobkowicz, has issued a declaration regarding the assembly in Ostrava this coming Saturday, 24 August 2013. The declaration is the bishop's response to the growing tension in society between members of the majority society and the Romani minority. News server Romea.cz publishes the declaration in full translation:  full story

Czech Republic: Moravian-Silesian Police plan extensive monitoring for Saturday's demonstrations

Ostrava, 22.8.2013 17:58, (ROMEA) The Moravian-Silesian Regional Police are planning to monitor people and vehicles this coming Saturday when demonstrations by right-wing radicals and Romani residents are planned to take place in Ostrava. Officers are counting on monitoring people not only on the territory of the town, but also in selected places along the various access roads into Ostrava.  full story

German Chancellor Merkel becomes first head of the federal government to officially visit Dachau

Dachau, 22.8.2013 1:21, (ROMEA) On 20 August, German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited the site of the former concentration camp at Dachau, not far from the Bavarian capital of Munich, and said there that young people must know what kind of wrongdoing once came out of Germany. She is the first head of the federal government ever to visit the monument.  full story

Czech Republic: Neo-Nazis assault Roma with rocks, shouting "Today you die, the ovens are fired up"

Děčín, 22.8.2013 0:25, (ROMEA) The Czech town of Děčín experienced its first large-scale attack on Romani residents by a group of neo-Nazis earlier this week. Several of the assailants reportedly were tatooed with swastikas and other Nazi symbols and are said to have shouted racist slogans full of hatred while throwing glass bottles and rocks at a Romani-occupied building.  full story

European Commission calls for removal of anti-Roma wall in this year's European Capital of Culture

Brussels/Košice, 21.8.2013 17:24, (ROMEA) On 19 August the European Commission called for the "immediate" removal of a concrete wall erected in the Slovak town of Košice to separate local Romani residents from the rest of the town. Agence France-Presse reports that the Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism, Sport, Media and Youth, Androulla Vassiliou, said the wall is incompatible with the values on which the European Union is based.  full story

Czech Republic: Neo-Nazis will ignore ban on Saturday's march in Ostrava, resistance to them is rising

Ostrava, 21.8.2013 2:54, (ROMEA) Neo-Nazis planned an assembly and march for Saturday, 24 August in the Czech town of Ostrava only to see it banned by local authorities. According to information being spread by the right-wing extremists on social networking sites, however, they intend to go ahead with their provocation there nonetheless.  full story

Czech Republic: Director of the Lidice Memorial stands by his remarks about "inadaptable" Roma

Prague, 21.8.2013 2:07, (ROMEA) Several human rights associations and Romani organizations have recently complained to the Czech Culture Ministry about the head of the Lidice Memorial, the body also in charge of the monument to the victims of the Roma Holocaust at Lety by Písek. The civil society groups say director Milouš Červencl has made light of recent manifestations of racism and has incited hatred against Roma.  full story

Czech Republic: Locals will stand up to the neo-Nazis in Plzeň this coming Saturday

Plzeň, 20.8.2013 15:46, (ROMEA) A neo-Nazi march is scheduled to pass through the center of the Czech town of Plzeň on Saturday, 24 August 2013. Ultra-right extremists have announced anti-Romani marches in a total of five regions of the Czech Republic on that same day.  full story

Czech Republic: NGOs call for dismissal after director of Lidice Memorial collectively blames Roma as "inadaptables"

Kladno, 20.8.2013 0:26, (ROMEA) Individuals and NGOs defending human rights, the integration of the Romani community, and the memory of the Romani victims of the Holocaust have turned to Deputy Culture Minister Anna Matoušková with a complaint regarding the director of the Lidice Memorial, Milouš Červencl, who is also responsible for the memorial to the Roma Holocaust at Lety by Písek. Their complaint is that Červencl has collectively blamed all Romani people as "inadaptables" and has made other inappropriate remarks as well.  full story

Leading Roma representative Ján Cibuľa passes away

Bern, Switzerland, 19.8.2013 17:37, (ROMEA) Leading Roma representative MUDr. Ján Cibuľa passed away on Sunday, 18 August after a difficult illness in the Swiss town of Bern. A niece of the deceased informed the TASR press agency of his death.  full story

Florin Cioabă, "King of the Roma" and president of the International Romani Union, has passed away

Antalya, Turkey, 19.8.2013 4:03, (ROMEA) Florin Cioabă, the self-proclaimed "King of the Roma" worldwide, passed away on 18 August in a hospital in the Turkish city of Antalya. The 58-year-old had been admitted to the hospital there last Tuesday in very serious condition.  full story

videoCzech Republic: Neo-Nazi anti-Roma event in Duchcov a debacle

Duchcov, 17.8.2013 21:51, (ROMEA) Approximately 40 neo-Nazis gathered today in the Czech town of Duchcov for an anti-Roma assembly there. Shortly after 15:00, those participating set out from the train station down Husova Street in the direction of Republika Square.  full story

British folk singer Sam Lee: "Gypsies are our Indians"

Náměšť nad Oslavou, Czech Republic, 17.8.2013 0:21, (ROMEA) In this interview, British singer and folk song collector Sam Lee describes how he has discovered forgotten singers among British Roma and Travellers, how he learned to sing from them, and why it is important to keep their songs from being forgotten. He also explains why we have two ears and only one mouth.  full story