Category Archives: News Western Europe

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

News this week in France are still dominated by the fire on the site of the former Roma camp in Chambly. Its origins are unclear, and firefighters needed several days to extinguish it. The municipal opposition in Nantes accused the social services of having registered Roma to vote for the current socialist mayor. Also near Nantes, a mayor who was strongly opposing a housing scheme for Roma has now endorsed it because of the already spent money (so he says) but has introduced strong surveillance measures.

Crime in Greece

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Crime in Greece

The article says that in 2024, 70% of theft and burglary gangs in Greece were reported to be composed of Roma individuals, raising concerns about crime and ethnicity.

The article discusses the public’s desire for equality under the law, regardless of origin, while highlighting the perception of crime linked to specific communities.

It critiques the Greek political system for failing to address the root causes of poverty and social exclusion, advocating for equal rights and obligations for all citizens.

Appleby Horse Fair

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Appleby Horse Fair

Not so nice… Thousands of unsafe and counterfeit toys were seized during the Appleby Horse Fair, a major event for the Gypsy, Roma, and traveller community in the UK.

The toys lacked proper safety labeling and posed serious risks, including choking hazards, according to local authorities.

The Anti-Counterfeiting Group emphasized the importance of safety standards for children’s products and the need to protect cultural heritage events from criminal activities.

Greece and a Dead Nurse

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Greece and a Dead Nurse

A nurse died in Nafplio. According to several early reports the 55-year-old nurse collapsed while on duty at the General Hospital, reportedly due to a cardiac arrest during a tense situation involving injured Roma. The incident apparently escalated when relatives of the injured Roma reacted aggressively after being informed that no doctor was available, leading to threats against medical staff. The number of articles reporting this and accosing Roma is so long that we cannot publish it here.

Now, the story is somewhat different, highlighting a bias against Roma in the Greek press. Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis clarified that the death of a nurse in Nafplio hospital was not related to violence from a Roma family, who were concerned about their unconscious child. The hospital workers’ union president stated that the nurse should not have been in the emergency department at that time, as she was not on duty.

Louisa Price

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Louisa Price

Louisa Price, known as the ‘queen of Gypsy queens’, is being honored in an exhibition celebrating Romany and Gypsy culture in Walsall, where she lived for over 70 years. The exhibition also highlights the contributions of Pat Collins, a prominent fairground businessman and politician, who played a significant role in the local community and served as Walsall’s MP and mayor.

The event aims to celebrate the diversity of Walsall and recognize the historical presence of Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities in the area.

Reaction against AfD

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Reaction against AfD

The German AfD party publicly humiliated Roma individuals in Gelsenkirchen by forcing them to clean the streets, which sparked a response from the art exhibition “Radikale Hoffnung” that addresses resistance against racism.

The exhibition features works by Roma artists, including Małgorzata Mirga-Tas, who highlights the struggles of Roma women against discrimination, and Selma Selman, who critiques societal exclusion through performance art. The exhibition emphasizes the importance of collective action and social justice, linking historical labor struggles to contemporary issues of marginalization and identity loss.

Crime in Greece

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Crime in Greece

According to this article, over 70% of criminal organizations in Greece are composed of Roma, raising concerns about crime rates. Most of these organizations are involved in burglaries, highlighting the need for targeted police actions.

Authorities are urged to investigate the underlying causes of this crime and enhance prevention efforts to restore public trust.

These are basically statements without concrete proofs, stigmatising a minority in Greece.

Roma Settlements

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Roma Settlements

The article discusses the challenges of demolishing illegal Roma settlements in Greece due to international human rights protections that require alternative housing solutions before eviction. It raises questions about the definition of homelessness, the effectiveness of integration policies, and the potential for new settlements to emerge if current ones are not addressed properly.

Concerns are expressed about the social exclusion faced by the Roma community and the adequacy of existing relocation and integration programs in Patras.

Greece and Roma

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Greece and Roma

The number of articles about crime and Roma in the Greek press is horrendous. Not a day passes without 5 or more articles about crimes committed by Roma in Greece.

The show “Autopsia” ‘investigates’ crime among the Roma community, revealing the realities within their settlements. Host Antonis Sroiter interviews Roma individuals about police raids, weapons, drugs, and electricity theft. The program explores the prevalence of Roma in criminal groups and their shift from theft to phone scams, alongside personal stories and police statistics.

Basically, it portrays all Roma as criminals. Bad.

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

Not much in terms of news, but a very large number of articles about a fire in a former camp of Roma that was evacuated recently. The other topic, speaks about the “calvary” of an owner whose property has been squatted by Roma.

Burgenland Roma

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Burgenland Roma

A lesser-known chapter of Burgenland’s Roma history will be discussed at an event organized by the Roma Adult Education Center in Burgenland. The event titled “Myth of the Reichsautobahn: Forced Labor and Suffering of Romnja and Roma from Burgenland” will feature writer and historian Ludwig Laher.

The event is scheduled for Friday, June 19, at 7 PM at the OHO – Open House Oberwart.

Greece and Roma

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Greece and Roma

One of the typical articles about Roma in Greek press. When they are not stealing, then, underage forced weddings are the norm…

The article says that a 16-year-old girl escaped from her 30-year-old husband in a Roma settlement in Neapolis after being forced into marriage against her will about 40 days prior.

The husband was found guilty of domestic violence and threats but acquitted of physical harm, receiving a 17-month suspended sentence. The girl testified that he physically restrained her and threatened her, while he denied any wrongdoing, claiming he loved her and did not understand her fear.

Romanian Roma in Germany

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Romanian Roma in Germany

The article discusses the integration challenges faced by Romanian Roma in Germany, emphasizing the need for tailored public policies that address their specific vulnerabilities and circumstances. It highlights the differences between the historical Sinti community and recent Roma migrants from Eastern Europe, stressing the importance of recognizing these distinctions in policy-making. The author calls for collaborative efforts between Germany and Romania to enhance educational and mentoring programs, aiming for genuine inclusion and dignity for the Roma community.

Romano Dikipe

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Romano Dikipe

In this issue, Romano Dikipe accompanies the Roma-Service association during their move to the new House of Ethnic Groups in Oberwart; report on the new book by Herbert Brettl; as well as on the planned location for the central memorial for Roma and Sinti in Vienna; attended the event “Literature on the Ring” and is once again in search of traces of vanished Roma settlements in Burgenland.

London Exhibition

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London Exhibition

The Museum of Homelessness (MOH), part gallery, part support hub, part perennial meadow, is hosting an exhibition entitled ‘ Criminal: An Untold Story of Homelessness, Resistance and Survival.’ which maps 400 years of criminalisation of homelessness and nomadic lives, with 10 Foot, Matt Bonner, Spelling Mistakes Cost Lives, and Surfing Sofas, in an exhibition that was co-curated and built by MOH’s members.

Concentration Camp

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Concentration Camp

Within the grounds of Coudrecieux castle (Sarthe), the ruins of a World War II internment camp for “nomads” still remain. On My 31st, associations of itinerant citizens called for it to be listed as a historical monument.

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

The usual in the French press about Roma camps. A mayorof the town of Riys-Orangis, near Paris, pledges that no more Roma camops will be tolerated. And in another set of news, a yong man was found dead in a Roma camp after an overdose.

AI and Appleby Horse Fair

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AI and Appleby Horse Fair

It seems that the UK police is deploying AI face recognition during the Appleby horse fair to catch “troublemakers”.

That this is being done suggests that there is a preconcieved idea that travellers are troublemakers … Bad.

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