Kosovo: Demonstrators call for investigation into the death of Stanislav Tomáš, who died in police custody in Teplice

News server Balkan Insight reports that activists and members of the Romani community in Kosovo held a protest march to the Czech Embassy in Prishtina on Sunday calling for an investigation into the recent death of Romani community member Stanislav Tomáš after an intervention against him by police in Teplice, Czech Republic last month. “We are expressing our concern over [Czech] police brutality and calling for an investigation of this case because Romani people deserve respect in Europe,” a representative of a local NGO, Roma Versitas Kosovo, told the news server. 

“Romani people continue to be considered outlaws. Not only is the violence against them never punished, it is even praised,” another Roma Versitas Kosovo representative told the crowd of protesters. 

The demonstrators arrived at the Czech Embassy carrying signs reading “We are Tomáš” and “How many were never filmed?”. Bystander video of his arrest was posted to social media, republished by news server Romea.cz, and broadly criticized by both Czech and international activists and organizations, prompting protests all over Europe. 

The video shows a police officer kneeling on Mr Tomáš’s neck area in a way reminiscent of the arrest during which the African-American community member George Floyd was killed in May 2020. Czech security forces have repeatedly rejected the idea that they could have contributed in any way to Mr Tomáš’s death, stating that he had been aggressive toward the intervening officers, assaulted them, and that the use of force was necessary.