Category Archives: News Western Europe

Greece News Western Europe

Clashes in Greece

Published by:

Clashes in Greece

Two police officers were slightly injured during a clash with a group of young individuals attempting to free an 18-year-old suspect outside the Police Station in Piniou, Greece.

The incident occurred on August 15, when the police were attacked by three young Roma individuals while escorting the detained suspect, who was wanted for fraud.

Targeted police operations in Roma settlements were conducted in Argolis, Corinthia, and Messinia, resulting in the arrest of 14 individuals for various offenses.

In Argolis, 21 individuals were checked, leading to 5 arrests, while in Corinthia and Messinia, 13 and 21 individuals were checked respectively, with 4 and 5 arrests made.

This is escalating …

News Western Europe Portugal

Indicted for Racism

Published by:

Indicted for Racism

Rui Cristina, the mayor of Albufeira, faces charges of discrimination and incitement to hatred after controversial remarks about the local Roma community’s access to housing.

The Portuguese Public Prosecutor’s Office announced the charges following an investigation that included searches at the Albufeira town hall, initiated by a complaint from a local council member.

Cristina’s statements, made during a municipal assembly meeting, allegedly portrayed the Roma community as tax evaders, potentially inciting hatred and discrimination against them.

Belgium France News Western Europe

Belgian Reportage

Published by:

Belgian Reportage

A reportage from the Belgian RTL on Roma camps in France, and on the fact that they do work. They state that Roma are an integral part of the economy of certain regions and an important source of workforce.

It highlights the hypocrisy of chasing them from precarious camps to new ones.

France News Western Europe

French Chronicle …

Published by:

French Chronicle …

A fire in a camp in Western France; an article about a campment in Western France (from a biased source); and a camp being dismantled near Nantes in Western France, promting protests.

Austria News Western Europe

Burgenland Roma

Published by:

Burgenland Roma

The Roma community has deep historical roots in Austria but continues to face prejudice, exclusion, and discrimination.

The documentary “Roma. A Cinematic Approach” spans from the 1930s to the present, highlighting both the suffering and the vibrant culture of the Roma people, including their music, traditions, and family stories.

The film features contributions from the Roma community, creating an authentic portrayal rather than an external perspective

Austria News Western Europe

Mariazell

Published by:

Mariazell

The 30th pilgrimage of Roma, Sinti, and Lovara from Austria and other European countries took place at the Basilica of Mariazell, led by Bishop Franz Scharl, who emphasized faith in Jesus Christ during the service.

The mass featured songs in Romanes and German, performed by a mixed group of Roma and non-Roma musicians, symbolizing friendship and unity, with children creating a special pilgrimage candle focused on peace.

The pilgrimage has a long tradition, interrupted in 1938, and resumed in 1996 after the official recognition of the Roma community in Austria, with an estimated 40,000 to 80,000 Roma and Sinti living in the country today.

Greece News Western Europe

Greece, Politics, and Roma

Published by:

Greece, Politics, and Roma

Aphrodite Latinopoulou, president of ‘Voice of Reason’, faced a verbal attack from a group of Roma while waiting to travel in Tinos, Greece. The confrontation escalated after Latinopoulou defended her statements stating that Roma are criminals, are evading taxes, and using deragotary terms about them, leading to vulgar insults directed at her.

The Coast Guard intervened but did not take further action after asking the parties to cease the altercation; Latinopoulou later reported the incident to the police upon arrival.

Latinopoulou described the incident, stating that she was confronted by men who challenged her comments about criminal behavior among Roma, leading to a heated exchange.

She accused the coast guard of inaction during the incident and linked the altercation to broader governmental issues, expressing disdain for the current political climate in Greece.

Germany News Western Europe

Cologne and Deportation

Published by:

Cologne and Deportation

An article which severely condemns the Cologne city administration for preventing the deportation of Roma who have committed crimes and are required to leave the country. The article’s author says tht this must not go unpunished.

France News Western Europe

French Chronicle …

Published by:

French Chronicle …

Many articles about the expulsion of a Roma camp in Orry la Ville, leaving 300 Roma homless. Many of the articles complain of the huge garbage left over when Roma left. As usual, guilt on this one is not always the obvious ones.

Other news, a camp inb Marseilles may be closed;  and the RN (Extreme right) calls for a “restoration of order” in Antibes, read the expulsion of Roma.

Austria News Western Europe

Lackenbach

Published by:

Lackenbach

Commemorative events in Vienna and Lackenbach honored the Roma and Sinti persecuted and murdered during the Nazi regime, with speeches emphasizing the local impact of these historical crimes.

Historian Gerhard Baumgartner highlighted the inhumane treatment of Roma, including wrongful deportations based on misconceptions about them not wanting to work.

The events aimed to preserve the memory of the victims and promote the importance of maintaining the language, culture, and identity of the Roma and Sinti community in Austria.

Greece News Western Europe

This is really bad …

Published by:

This is really bad …

A video from a party in Ano Liosia, Greece, shows a chaotic scene where a man is said to threaten police with a knife, raising concerns about law enforcement and public safety in certain areas of Attica.

The video, intended to mock authorities, depicts police retreating to avoid escalating violence, which has led to criticism of their effectiveness and the state’s tolerance of criminal behavior.

The cover picture of the vide says it all. This is bad in every sense of the word. Bad tht it happened, and bad that it is being escalated in the press.

Austria News Western Europe

Burgenland Roma

Published by:

Burgenland Roma

A docuemntary about Roma from Burgenland, featuring texts by Michael Köhlmeier, spans from the 1930s to the present, addressing themes of adaptation pressure, persecution, and exclusion, while also celebrating the cultural diversity and vibrancy of the Burgenland Roma community.

The Roma community played a significant role in the creation of the documentary, with historical settings resembling a Roma camp from the 1930s being constructed for filming in Oslip.

Musical contributions to the film include works from Ferry Janoska and Tony Wegas.

Austria News Western Europe

Lackenbach

Published by:

Lackenbach

Approximately 4,000 Roma and Sinti were deported from the Lackenbach detention camp during the Nazi era, with only a few hundred surviving, most of whom were murdered.

The commemoration event emphasizes the importance of remembering these atrocities, which occurred within local communities, and the need to confront the past to ensure a peaceful future.

Political leaders stress the necessity of protecting minority rights and combating hate and discrimination as part of honoring the memory of the victims.

Germany News Americas News Western Europe

Memory

Published by:

Memory

Frieda Daniels, a 93-year-old former high-wire artist, shares her experiences during the genocide at the time of the Holocaust to educate younger generations about the atrocities faced by the Sinti and Roma community.

She and her family were persecuted by the Nazis, with an estimated 500,000 Sinti and Roma murdered during the genocide.

Now living in California, Frieda continues to travel and speak about her past, recently reflecting on her experiences during a visit to an exhibition in Heidelberg, Germany.

Greece News Western Europe

Roma in Greece

Published by:

Roma in Greece

Many members of the Roma community in Greece live on the margins of society, facing poverty, poor housing conditions, and limited access to education and healthcare.

Roma settlements are often located on city outskirts, lacking proper infrastructure and basic utilities, leading to high unemployment and social exclusion.

Despite government programs aimed at better integration, progress is slow due to deeply rooted barriers, including low education rates and widespread discrimination against the Roma.

Austria News Western Europe

Vienna Memorial Service

Published by:

Vienna Memorial Service

A memorial service for Roma and Sinti victims of the Holocaust will take place on August 2 at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, led by Auxiliary Bishop Franz Scharl, with a wreath-laying ceremony to follow.

Austria officially recognizes August 2 as a National Holocaust Remembrance Day for Roma and Sinti, commemorating the murder of approximately 4,300 individuals in Auschwitz in 1944.

The 30th Roma Pilgrimage to Mariazell is scheduled for August 9, celebrating faith and culture, with participation from Roma communities across Europe.

Austria News Western Europe

Austria and Roma

Published by:

Austria and Roma

In May, the police in Neusiedl am See issued a warning about a group of Roma in Parndorf, which sparked public outrage and criticism.

The warning referred to members of the ‘traveling people’ who were in the area, specifically a group of Roma from Alsace, France, and Germany, who frequently stop in Austrian communities during their travels to Evangelical Mission meetings.

It now turns out that the warning was vetted within the police …

News Western Europe United Kingdom

Ando Glaso

Published by:

Ando Glaso

The Ando Glaso Roma Fest, Scotland’s largest festival celebrating Roma arts and culture, will be held on September 4-5 at the University of Glasgow and Destiny Church, featuring free events including live music and educational activities.

The festival aims to promote Roma culture through performances by renowned artists and a focus on youth engagement, with activities designed to build confidence and community ties among young Roma talent.

Key performances include Hungarian pop star Jázmin and various Romani ensembles, with the festival supported by local organizations and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Germany News Eastern Europe News Western Europe Slovakia

Berlin Exhibition

Published by:

Berlin Exhibition

The exhibition “You Are All Our Children in One” opens at the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture in Berlin, exploring the ongoing impact of racial classification and forced sterilization on Roma and Sinti communities post-World War II.

Slovak artist Emília Rigová, who works under the pseudonym Bári Raklóri [Big (non-Romani) Girl], presents her work addressing the suppression of Roma identity through installations and performance art, including a piece on the forced sterilization of Roma women in Czechoslovakia.

Rigová shares her personal connection to the issue, revealing that her mother was sterilized without consent, which deeply affected her childhood and emotional world, highlighting the broader historical trauma faced by women in similar situations.

Greece News Western Europe

Greece and Roma

Published by:

Greece and Roma

The Regional Governor of Western Greece, Nektarios Farmakis, has signed the inclusion of two new social structures aimed at enhancing social cohesion, specifically for the Roma community in the municipalities of Ilida and Pindos, with a total budget exceeding €1.38 million.

The project in Ilida will provide personalized social support, educational interventions, and legal guidance to the local Roma population, which constitutes 9% of the area’s total population.

The initiative is part of a broader program to improve living conditions and promote equal participation of all citizens in social and economic life in Western Greece.

rroma.org
en_GBEN
de_DEDE fr_FRFR en_GBEN