Category Archives: Czech Republic

Czech, Roma, and Ukrainian Refugees

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An article about the recent attacks against Roma by Ukrainian refugees and the Roma protests that followed, protests that were supported by extremists. On controversial Roma activist, David Mezei, got close to nationalist movements, who, by the way do not want Roma ion the country.

Bad for all.

Czech Protests

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In his speech at today’s demonstration in front of the Government Office, pro-Roma activist from Ústí nad Labem Marcel Packert criticized the so-called patriots, who are actually extremists, xenophobes and anti-Semites. Packert warned against the dangers of associating these people with Roma.

Czech Republic, Roma, and Ukrainians

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This week in the Czech Republic, the police has been investigating several reports of other alleged attacks by Ukrainians on Roma. They were supposed to be in Sokolov and Přerov. The police have not yet fully completed their investigation and have not confirmed that all of the attacks actually occurred. There is a lot of misinformation being spread among the Roma, and the police have already charged one person for spreading an alarmist message.

This issue is being misused on purpose.

Czech Republic: Extremism

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About seventy protesters, around fifty of them Roma, gathered in front of the Government Office for a demonstration called by David Mezei, a very controversial Romano leade. The participants expressed their disapproval of the current government and the presence of Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic. In addition to Mezei, the speakers also included Miroslav Tancoš, the chairman of the Roma Democratic Party, which has suspended its activities, and Denis Novák from the Round Table Alliance.

It is sad to see that some Roma are playing into the hands of extremists following the two attacks in the Czech Republic.

Czech Republic and Racism

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Some 63% of Czechs consider the cohabitation of Roma with other inhabitants of the country as problematic, according to a poll carried out last spring by the Center for Research on Public Opinion (CVVM), the results of which were released on Friday. Nearly 33% of respondents believe that relations with the Roma minority are good.

No comments …

Ukrainian Refugees

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Recent conflicts between Ukrainian refugees and Roma in the Czech Republic have sparked a wave of concerns and demands for a thorough investigation of these crimes. The European network of Roma organizations ERGO Network and the Ukrainian Roma organization ICO Roma Women Fund “Chiricli” appeal to the Czech police and the Ministry of the Interior to act quickly and decisively and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. The organizations also ask Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to call on Ukrainian refugees to respect diversity and refrain from any violent and criminal acts. The organizations also request the introduction of measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. They stated this in a statement sent to the news server Romea.cz.

Czech Republic – Pardubice

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A video of the altercation between Roma and Ukrainians in the Czech town of Pardubice emerged over the weekend. The brawl left on young Rom wounded and resulted in manifestations by Roma in the town.

Ukraine’s View of the Attack in Pardubice

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Three articles in the Ukrainian press relating the manifestation of the Roma following the brawl between Roma and Ukrainians in that city that left on Rom injured.

The stress in the Ukrainian press is effectively “we don’t really know what happened” and “who started it”, and in one case “nationality of the people was not disclosed”. Other than that, fair representation of the manifestation and the facts.

Czech Republic: Again

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This weekend, a young Rom was injured in a fight, apparently by three Ukrainian. As a result, hundreds of Roma manifested in Pardubice, Czech Republic.

The organizers of the protest told ČTK that a young Rom was injured during the fight. According to them, the protesters were from all over the Czech Republic. A police spokeswoman said that one person was injured and three people were arrested in a brawl involving about 20 people on Saturday night. The police repeatedly called for calm. “We want to draw the government’s attention to the fact that we too are citizens of the Czech Republic and we do not walk around the city armed and attack. We want to live peacefully. We are here because the situation among the Roma is tense. This case from Saturday is not unique, it is only the second to be reported in the media. Conflicts between Ukrainians and Roma are increasing, I think it is unnecessary,” one of the organizers of the protest, Ferdinand Baník, told ČTK.

Lety

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Two articles on the Lety concentration camp and on the recent destruction of the pig farm that was on the site.

Czech Republic and Ukraine’s Refugees

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The Czech government passed a law stating that from July 1st, Ukrainian refugees who have been in the country for more than 150 days will no longer receive allowances for housing and will have to find their own accommodation. Exempt are a few categories (single women with small children etc.).

Jan Husák from from the association Romodromo stated that this so-called Lex Ukraine will have the hardest impact, among others, on Roma refugees and will increase homelessness.

Czecho-Slovak Miss Roma 2023

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The beauty contest, organised by the association Romia CZ recently took place. Seventeen-year-old Lucie Tulejová from Česká Lípa became Czech-Slovak Miss Roma 2023 on Saturday in Hodonín. Eighteen-year-old Vanesa Hrabalová from Ústí nad Labem took home the title of first runner-up, and Stanislava Kroščenová from Spišské Štvrtek finished in third place. The competition, organized by the association Romia cz, aims to show the beauty, talent and personality of young Roma girls from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Czech Republic: An Interview

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Dana Ema Hrušková (55) never thought that she would one day work in social services. Together with her husband, she successfully ran a hardware business. The turning point came when she started cooperating with the non-profit organization Romodrom, which was just starting field work in socially excluded locations. That’s when she discovered that helping others fulfils her more than her own thriving business. Today, she works as a field worker in the Prague 14 Černý Most district and has more than 80 clients.

Brno: Recuperation

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Less than a hundred people took part in an anti-Ukrainian xenophobic demonstration in Brno on June 24th, which was organized by pro-Russian disinformation Jakub Netík. Together with David Mezei, they tried to use the death of young Roma Nicolas to stir up anti-Ukrainian sentiments. Classic pro-Russian propaganda was heard at the demonstration, as well as calls for the resignation of the government.

Czech Republic and Roma Settlements

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A bad story in Ušti nad Labem. The city council is taking measures against littering, destruction of material, littering etc., which de-facto are directed at Roma. Roma organisations are protesting.

There are unfortunately two sides to this issue: The clear fact that these housing estates are run down, and that the residents are not exactly tidy nor respectful of the property, but on the  other hand, these very residents have been excluded from society by racism.

Brno: Continuation

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On Saturday, June 17, a memorial service was held on the Old Town Square for a young Roma killed in Brno. The representatives of the Roma and Ukrainian minorities strongly rejected the spreading wave of hatred and xenophobia.

Brno – Another Manifestation

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About two hundred Roma gathered at the beginning of Cejl Street in Brno yesterday at 2 p.m., who had arrived there to guard against an alleged demonstration by Ukrainians. The police came to calm the situation. The tension between the two minorities increased after the recent violent incident at the Brno dam in which a Roma man died.

Brno – Manifestations

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A report on the manifestation last Saturday that saw around 1’000 participants. It was spontaneous gathering. Already before two o’clock, when the event started, there were several hundred people on the square in front of the theater – apart from journalists and a few individuals from the majority, they were mostly Roma. Not many people outside the community came to share Roma grief and anger.

This time, the reason could also be that the otherwise solidary part of the Brno majority was discouraged by the anti-Ukrainian framing of the demonstration originally planned for the same time and place, which, however, the organizer herself cancelled precisely because of the fear of spreading hatred and collective guilt.

Prague and the Brno Murder

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Following the murder of a young Rom in Brno last week at the hands of a Ukrainian, manifestations were held, notably in Prague with both Roma and Ukrainians denouncing racism and bigotry.

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