A bridge in Patras, Greece, partially collapsed, killing one person and wounding another one. The victims are Roma who lived in a camp below the overpass.
Not much this week in France. The French prefect of the Herault, in the South of France, known for his hard stance against Roma camps is on the go. Near Paris, a new camp has been dismantled. And near Nantes two caravans took fire.
On August 2nd, a memorial plaque for the Sinti and Roma deported from Koblenz by the National Socialists will be unveiled at the Ravensbrück Memorial in Brandenburg. The occasion is the European Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the National Socialist Genocide of the Sinti and Roma.
Further commemorations planned on August 2nd in Darmstadt and in Ravensbrück.
Several articles in the Italian press about the arrests of a gang Sinti responsible for over 30 burglaries since December, and for theft of over 200’000 euros. They also had a collection of false license plates, radios, wigs, etc.
On the occasion of the Holocaust Remembrance Day for Sinti and Roma on August 2nd, the Diocese of Eisenstadt invites to a commemoration ceremony in Oberwart. Of the approximately 12,000 Austrian Roma and Sinti, only around 1,500 survived the Nazi terror. Of the approx. 8,000 Burgenland Roma, only 900 people, i.e. almost 11 percent, survived the Nazi terror system.
According to Daniel Strauss, chairman of the State Association of Sinti and Roma in Baden-Württemberg, Roma were discriminated against in Ukraine, a discrimination which continued after fleeing the war zone to Germany.
Another instance of these “reportages” on French TV on “Gypsy” weddings. Again, they give the impression that all Roma are like this and perpetuate these clichés. In Marseilles, a new “insertion” village for Roma will be created. In Bordeaux, the largest camp was closed. In Strasbourg, politicians bemoan that trying to help Roma is going to cost them the election. Finally, an “article” about criminal Roma on the site of a former TV anchor, Jean Marc Morandini, who was condemned and continued his work on the very rightist CNews.
Sinti and Roma opened and anti-discrimination office in Nuremberg. They hope this will help highlight the current racism and discriminations faced by this minority in Germany and also contribute to the fight against racism.
Sinti from Osnabrück, Germany are asking for explanations following a search in a Sinti camp in the city. The police far exceeded the scope of the search warrant they had.
French television followed Roma in Marseilles for 6 months. They say that there are roughly 20’000 Roma who live in ca. 400 camps throughout France. This is correct and prompts the question why they have not been integrated. But on the other hand, these are the Roma, not the others who live in France…
Other news cover the photography exhibition in Arles, with the one about Gitanos; an illegal camp near Lyon; and stolen bronze chains in a cemetery, which, even though the thieves have not been caught, must have been Roma …
Last week, the German police raided a Sinti camp in Osnabrück, on the suspicion that a condemned criminal was there. So far, no issue. But then they searched every one in the camp, which is an issue, as this went way beyond their warrant.
A special commemoration will be held in Berlin on August 2nd.
Several articles criticising the police report on clan criminality from Lower Saxony as being racist and based against Sinti and Roma.
The story of a police Razzia in a Sinti camp in Osnabrück, Germany. The police went too far, unfortunately not an exception. They had an arrest warrant for one person, and took the opportunity to search all…
Mixed bag of news this week on Roma in France. A photo exhibition in Arles on Gitanos with more than 150 photos from Jacques Léonard. Worth seeing. An open letter to Macron, asking him to let the “Tsiganes” live like citizen. The usage of “Tsiganes” in France is still prevalent. An article stating that 1.2 million people are victims of racism in France every year, with of course Roma topping the list. A comic strip on refugees that also highlights Roma, and then the usual: condemnation of young Roma for theft during the recent riots, and an article of the extreme right paper about Roma settlers in the camps.
At the end of June, the Ministry of the Interior and Justice in Hanover presented the “Clan Crime Situation Report 2022”. The Central Council of Sinti and Roma is now criticizing the police stigmatization of minorities and is calling for investigations into racist discrimination to be stopped.
Romani Rose, the chairman of the Central Council, stated that the report is a “continuation of the racist and antiziganist recording”, which is being continued despite the painful history of this minority and despite the ban in the constitution.
The conference, organized by the city archive is dedicated to a dark chapter in Magdeburg’s past. As a city spokesman announced, Verena Meier from the University of Heidelberg will speak about the genocide of Sinti and Roma under National Socialism and the difficult work involved in coming to terms with it.
What can you expect from a UK tabloid when speaking about Roma … Pandering to stereotypes.
In Portugal, the Chega! (That’s enough!), which currently has 12 seats in parliament, is now considered the third political force in the country, with 13.2% of the voting intentions in the latest polls. Although none of its members currently sit in the European Parliament, the party could gain three to four.
In a similar vein to neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups, Chega’s ideology is described as anti-immigrant, anti-women, anti-LGBTQIA+, anti-Roma, anti-Muslim and conspiratorial, according to a report by the Global Project Against hate and extremism (Global Project against Hate and Extremism, GPAHE).
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