Brno, Czech Republic: Funeral today for the Romani youth who tragically died on 10 June
Brno's Central Cemetery will see the funeral of a young Romani man this afternoon in the Crematorium Hall. He died the Saturday before last after being stabbed by a 37-year-old foreign national, identified by the media as from Ukraine, shortly before the Ignis Brunensis fireworks festival at the Brno Reservoir.
The funeral will be held at 13:15 CET and his remains will be laid to rest in a grave at the local cemetery after the ceremony. The identity of the perpetrator has yet to be confirmed, but the media identifying him as Ukrainian sparked anti-Ukrainian reactions from some Romani people and divided the community.
Last Saturday about 1000 Romani people assembled before Brno’s Janáček Theater to remember the deceased Romani youth. In Prague that same afternoon around 40 people, including representatives of both the Romani and Ukrainian communities, gathered in Prague at a “happening” for the same purpose.
Romani figures and organizations have repeatedly reminded the public that it is not possible to condemn an entire minority for the actions of one person. Czech Government Commissioner for Roma Minority Affairs Lucie Fuková previously told the Czech News Agency (ČTK) that she has faith in the investigation now being undertaken by police.
The suspect was arrested at the scene. A week ago a court remanded him into custody.
