Category Archives: News Western Europe

Italy News Western Europe

Abduction

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Abduction

A newborn Roma girl was kidnapped from a children’s home in Caserta, Italy, where she had been living for over a month, marking the fifth abduction in her family.

The girl’s siblings were previously taken by their parents to Romania due to severe neglect and poor living conditions, leading to a court ruling that separated them from their parents.

The case is being handled by lawyer Simona Molisso, who is calling for public assistance in locating the missing girl, emphasizing the urgency and violence of the situation.

France News Western Europe

France and the Camps

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France and the Camps

During World War II, many Romani and other traveler groups faced severe discrimination in France, leading to their displacement and imprisonment in internment and extermination camps.

The article marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the last travelers from these internment camps in France.

Reporters Antonia Kerrigan and Valentine Erba interviewed a French survivor of the internment camps to share their experiences.

Austria News Western Europe

ReIMAGINE

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ReIMAGINE

EDUCULT, based in Vienna, is working on the ‘ReIMAGINE’ project to diversify European memory culture, focusing on the history and experiences of the Roma community.

The project involves collaboration with partners from five European countries and aims to create innovative educational tools, including a board game dedicated to Roma heroes.

‘ReIMAGINE’ will develop an interactive training toolkit for educators to present diverse historical perspectives and is supported by the EU’s Erasmus+ program until 2027.

France News Western Europe

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

This last week news about Roma in France was dominated by the eviction of two camps of Roma near Nantes in Western France, and by a fire in a camp near the same city. Ngos and Roma protested against these closures arguing that they are working, their children are going to school. In the South of France, near Marseilles, the same pattern emerges. Near Paris, a mayor speaks about Roma…

Bad … Especially when one thinks that this involves less than 15’000 people who have been in France for over 20 years …

Germany News Western Europe

Romani Rose

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Romani Rose

Romani Rose, a prominent civil rights activist for the Sinti and Roma minority in Germany, has dedicated over 50 years to combating anti-Roma sentiment and advocating for recognition of their history and rights.

Key milestones in his activism include the acknowledgment of the Holocaust by Chancellor Helmut Schmidt in 1982 and the recognition of Sinti and Roma as a national minority in Germany through a European agreement ratified in 1998.

Rose emphasizes the importance of viewing the Sinti and Roma as integral to German society, advocating for a future-oriented perspective while remaining aware of ongoing challenges and anti-Roma violence.

Greece News Western Europe

Police Operation

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Police Operation

A police operation in the Roma settlements of Aspropyrgos led to the arrest of 16 individuals for electricity theft, with 2,380 meters of illegally used cables removed by the DEDDHE (Public Power Corporation).

The arrested individuals face charges for electricity theft and violations of the Road Traffic Code, including driving without a license and not wearing seatbelts.

The operation involved multiple police units and was coordinated by the Western Attica Police Directorate, with support from traffic police and a drone.

Germany News Western Europe

Invisible Minorities

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Invisible Minorities

The article discusses the concept of concealed identity, particularly among Roma and Jewish communities, highlighting the historical reasons for hiding one’s ethnic background due to discrimination and violence.

It explores the complexities of transgenerational concealed identity, where descendants inherit the burden of hidden heritage, often feeling alienated from both majority and minority groups.

The author reflects on personal experiences and the emotional resonance of identity, emphasizing the struggle between societal labels and personal resonance in defining one’s self.

Germany News Western Europe

Young Roma in Germany

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Young Roma in Germany

The documentary addresses the challenges faced by Sinti and Roma communities, highlighting deep-rooted prejudices and anti-Roma sentiment in society.

It features a film that follows four young Roma individuals who are challenging stereotypes and advocating for self-empowerment while navigating their cultural identity and societal challenges.

The young Roma generation is increasingly resisting discrimination in education, housing, and employment, striving for equal opportunities and societal recognition.

Greece News Western Europe

Clashes in Greece

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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

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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

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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 …

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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 …

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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

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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 …

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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

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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.

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