News

Czech Republic: Projectiles fired at Romani people at the Máj housing estate

České Budějovice, 7.8.2013 22:52, (ROMEA) Last Saturday evening at the Máj housing estate in České Budějovice, someone used either a popgun or a slingshot to fire projectiles at a small group of Romani people. Fortunately, no one was physically injured.  full story

Commentary: Are Czech academics and politicians giving cover to neo-Nazis?

Prague, 7.8.2013 15:44, (ROMEA) Prior to this past weekend's neo-Nazi demonstration in Vítkov, sociologist Jan Keller participated in a press briefing convened by the Moravian-Silesian Regional Police on the issue. His controversial comments there have prompted a great deal of response (video of the briefing, in Czech only, is available at http://www.romea.cz/cz/zpravodajstvi/martin-fafejta-dava-jan-keller-kryti-ceskym-nackum-a-kryji-je-cesti-politici).  full story

Hungary: Court in Budapest punishes racist murders with three life sentences, fourth perpetrator gets 13 years

Budapest, Hungary, 6.8.2013 23:48, (ROMEA) Today a Hungarian court handed down three life sentences for anti-Romani attacks during which six Romani people were murdered in 2008 and 2009. Five more people were seriously injured during the incidents and dozens suffered less serious injuries.  full story

Czech Republic: Director of Lidice Memorial rejects criticism from relatives of Lety victims

Prague, 6.8.2013 22:30, (ROMEA) The relatives of the victims of the Romani Holocaust and several other Romani organizations believe the Lidice Memorial is not administering the remembrance site at Lety by Písek in an appropriate, sensitive way. They are bothered by the online presentation of the memorial and the information placards at the site of the former Nazi concentration camp for Romani people, none of which mentions the ongoing presence of a pig farm at the site.  full story

Statement on management of the Lety memorial from Committee for the Redress of the Roma Holocaust

Prague, 6.8.2013 20:39, (ROMEA) The relatives of the Romani victims of the Holocaust and several Romani organizations have issued a statement expressing their opinion that the Lidice Memorial (Památník Lidice) is not administering the remembrance site at Lety by Písek in an appropriate, sensitive manner. News server Romea.cz publishes the statement here in full translation.  full story

videoYoung people commemorated victims of Roma Holocaust in Auschwitz

Auschwitz, 5.8.2013 22:50, (ROMEA) The world’s largest Roma Genocide Remembrance Event “Dik I na Bistar/look and don’t forget” took place today in Memorial – Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau, with more than 400 young people from 20 countries. The big number of participants at the youth commemoration at the Memorial of the formal so called “Gypsy camp”, underlines the growing Roma movement fight´s against prejudices and stereotypes and for the recognition of the 2nd August as a Roma Remembrance day.  full story

Verdict in Roma killing spree expected in Hungary

Budapest, 5.8.2013 0:39, (ROMEA) A verdict in the trial of four Hungarians accused of killing six Roma in a wave of cold-blooded attacks is expected Tuesday, as the country continues to struggle with discrimination.  full story

Analysis: Vítkov a day of absurdity, dialogue, paradoxes and reciprocity

Vítkov, 4.8.2013 19:50, (ROMEA) A park on Husova Street, a residential hotel on Opavská Street, and Jan Zajíc Square, where those attending an anti-Romani march assembled: These are three places in Vítkov where people gathered yesterday because they did not like the fact that several locals, together with neo-Nazis, were demonstrating in the town where the worst-ever arson attack against Romani people in this country took place four years ago. Recently it has become a common phenomenon that people from civil society, Romani people included, are starting to wake up, to raise up their heads, and to notice what people other than themselves need.  full story

videoCzech Republic: Police detain three people, confiscate 22 weapons during neo-Nazi event in Vítkov

Vítkov, 3.8.2013 22:42, (ROMEA) Speaking to journalists after today's anti-Romani march was over, Tomáš Kužel, director of the Moravian-Silesian Regional Police, told journalists that during today's demonstration in Vítkov (Opava district) police officers detained three people and confiscated 22 weapons, but there were no clashes of a more serious nature. About 200 people attended the right-wing extremist assembly, but not all of them participated in the march. Around 200 police officers supervised public order during the event.  full story

Open letter from expatriate Roma in England and international organizations to the Government of the Czech Republic

London, 3.8.2013 21:35, (ROMEA) On the occasion of the International Day of the Roma Holocaust, Romani associations and initiatives based in England and elsewhere have sent the following letter to the Government of the Czech Republic in response to growing anti-Romani sentiment there. News server Romea.cz publishes the letter in full translation below:  full story

videoCzech Republic: 200 people at neo-Nazi assembly in Vítkov, minimal police intervention needed

Vítkov, 3.8.2013 20:25, (ROMEA) The 6 000-strong town of Vítkov (Opava district) has experienced only two of the three assemblies that had been announced as taking place there today. Neo-Nazis came to the town and marched through its streets, including past the site of one of the worst racist attacks in the Czech Republic ever.  full story

Czech Republic: Blokujeme! platform says it is blocking racist ideas, not people

Vítkov, 3.8.2013 18:44, (ROMEA) The Blokujeme! platform has issued the following press release:  full story

Czech Republic: Religious service against hatred in Prague 3 August

Prague, 3.8.2013 1:23, (ROMEA) On Saturday 3 August at 19:30 in the Saint Martin in the Wall Church (Martinská 8) in Prague there will be a religious service in support of the people in Vítkov and everywhere else in the Czech Republic who are suffering from increasing intolerance and racism. The service will be led by Magdaléna Šipková, a student of the Protestant Theological Faculty, Charles University.  full story

Czech Republic: Non-Roma and Roma from Ostrava express solidarity but will not go to Vítkov tomorrow

Ostrava, 2.8.2013 23:57, (ROMEA) A group of non-Roma and Roma from Ostrava has issued a press release expressing their solidarity with the Romani community in Vítkov and their support for coexistence there, but have decided not to attend the protest events against the neo-Nazis that are scheduled to take place there tomorrow (Saturday 3 August). "We want to prevent conflicts and incidents. We will not play the radicals' game, and therefore we will not participate in their actions in Vítkov," the press release reads. News server Romea.cz publishes it in full translation below.  full story

Amnesty International and ERRC call on Czech Government to protect Romani people

Budapest/Prague, 2.8.2013 23:07, (ROMEA) Human rights organizations Amnesty International (AI) and the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) have called on the Czech Republic to protect Romani people from terror and violence. The organizations published their joint declaration in response to the planned anti-Romani demonstrations that await the Czech Republic in the coming days.  full story

Czech town of Vítkov readies for neo-Nazi assembly and events opposing it

Vítkov, 2.8.2013 22:22, (ROMEA) Municipal leaders and police in the 6 000-strong town of Vítkov (Opava district) are preparing for three assemblies scheduled to take place there on Saturday, 3 August. According to online sources, the police, and the Vítkov town hall, neo-Nazis are planning to march in the town, the Equal Opportunities Party (Strana rovných příležitostí - SRP), which defends the interests of the socially vulnerable, is planning a street meeting there, and the "Let's Block the Marches!" (Blokujeme!) platform has planned an assembly that has been announced by activists from the Konexe organization.  full story

Council of Europe marks International Remembrance Day of the Pharrajimos (Roma Genocide)

Strasbourg, 2.8.2013 21:47, (ROMEA) The Council of Europe has marked International Remembrance Day of the Pharrajimos, or Roma Genocide, with a ceremony in front of its headquarters building in Strasbourg, France.  full story

Czech Republic: Protect Roma at risk of violence ahead of far-right demonstration

Budapest/Prague, 2.8.2013 17:50, (ROMEA) Czech authorities must protect Roma communities from violence and intimidation, Amnesty International and the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) said ahead of planned anti-Roma demonstrations across the country.  full story

Czech PM Rusnok honors Romani genocide victims at Lety, says he needs to review UN recommendations about pig farm

Lety u Písku, 2.8.2013 1:49, (ROMEA) Czech Prime Minister Jiří Rusnok and several ministers of his cabinet have paid their respects to the Romani victims of the Holocaust at Lety by Písek. On 1 August 1942, exactly 71 years ago, a concentration camp for Romani people was established there.  full story

Czech Govt working group led by Human Rights Commissioner introduces proposals for addressing social unrest

Prague, 2.8.2013 0:45, (ROMEA) A Czech Government working group to address social unrest was convened by the Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner on 1 August. Due to the seriousness of the situation the meeting was attended by Czech PM Jiří Rusnok and Interior Minister Martin Pecina.  full story