30.08.2013 Begging and Rroma in Lausanne

Prêtre (2013) reports on the increasing begging of Rroma in Neuchatel. The article explains in detail how Rroma beg or extort money through tricks, something perceived by the local shop owners and workers as a burden. Ironically, Neuchatel’s police chief is the one quoted at the end of the article as stating that one must effectively differentiate between begging and criminal activities. There are Rroma who live under blatant poverty and work hard. A common way of looking at begging or stealing among Rroma is to present these activities as being part of their culture, something which is completely absurd. Apart from some traditional activities such as knife sharpening (actually among Jenische), panhandling or delinquent behaviour has nothing to do with the Rroma culture or identity.