Czech Republic: Two local assemblies memorialize Romani man's death
In the Czech towns of Louny and Žatec, assemblies were held yesterday at 15:00 to memorialize the death of a young Romani man in a local pizzeria. The first gathering took place on Tyršovo Square in Louny, where more than 30 people gathered.
The mourners then proceeded to the main square of Louny, where they lit candles in memory of the deceased. Another assembly was held at 16:00 in Žatec in front of the pizzeria where the tragedy happened.
Approximately 100 Romani community members gathered at the site of the young man’s death. He died on Tuesday, 18 October 2016 after being involved in a scuffle in which municipal patrolmen intervened.
The cause of death remains unclear. How the entire incident unfolded is also unclear.
According to eyewitnesses contacted by news server Romea.cz, the young Romani man allegedly behaved agggressively after arriving at the pizzeria. Allegedly he bothered girls who were sitting at one of the tables there.
One version of events describes somebody kicking the young Romani man in the neck. Four other people are then said to have assaulted him.
The eyewitnesses have speculated that the assailants knew martial arts. According to other information, local police also beat the youth after arriving at the scene and then he collapsed.
