Videos are spreading on Czech social media of Roma attacking residences believed to house Ukrainians in Krupka or Roma "hunting" Ukrainians in Brno. We asked Romani representatives what they think of these developments.

There were also tensions yesterday evening in Bílina after a conflict between Romani and Ukrainian children that grew into a conflict between adults. There, too, Romani people made extremist, xenophobic remarks against Ukrainians.

News server Romea.cz has reached out to several Romani men and women for their comment on the current tensions in the Romani community. Police have responded on Twitter to reproaches over their failure to prevent disorderly conduct during the demonstration in Krupka yesterday.

“The increased presence of forces of order on the scene could have led to an escalation of tensions. That does not mean we did not surveil the event. We consistently documented the course of the protest and we will continue to evaluate the footage, above all in relation to some speeches. However, we appreciate that the course of the demonstration was relatively peaceful,” police said.

Lucie Fuková: It is unacceptable to chant slogans beneath people’s windows

Czech Government Commissioner for Romani Minority Affairs Lucie Fuková said it is unacceptable to chant slogans beneath people’s windows. “Have we all already forgotten about the marches against Romani people here? Let’s vent our frustrations in a different, positive direction. Do you have children? Are your children attending segregated schools? Do you have good housing? Do you live in overpriced, poor quality apartments? Do you have a good education, good jobs? Do you make enough money? Soske – why not change that, why not fight for those things?” Fuková asked.

“It’s necessary to express disagreement through the usual ways. It is essential to be part of the regular procedures as an equal partner. If you have doubts about the investigation of an incident, there are legal tools for filing complaints or expressing disagreement,” she told Romea.cz.

“My entire life I have encountered various kinds of racist speech and rejection. I am a Romani woman, and members of my family have also been targeted with hatred, naturally. I think I understand very well what frustration is, what the anger coming from it sounds like. That is exactly why it’s necessary to always bear some basic things in mind. The first is that hate begets more hatred. The second is that history has taught us that aggression is the road to hell. The third is that there is no simple solution to complex problems,” Fuková told news server Romea.cz.

VIDEO

Patrik Banga: Extremism and violence have never solved anything

Journalist Patrik Banga said he comprehends why Romani people are demonstrating and why they are afraid, but while he believes it is fine to demonstrate, he criticizes the format for yesterday’s event in Krupka. “Assaulting Ukrainians who have bad luck here and are living along the march route? Throwing bottles? Making threats? That’s nothing but extremism. Demonstrating and expressing your fear? Sure, I consider that absolutely legitimate. Behaving like a fascist, though? Sorry, that’s not legitimate. Extremism and violence have never resolved any problem,” Banga told news server Romea.cz, according to whom police should have arrested the aggressors.

Bartoloměj Girga: These demonstrations are a signal to the Government that it should start solving our problems now

News server Romea.cz also reached out to the musician Bartoloměj Girga, who was one of the Romani men who led the demonstration in Krupka yesterday. Girga referred us to his statement on Facebook, where he also spoke about his controversial demand that Romani people be given weapons, which several media outlets have cited or used in their headlines today.

“I said in my speech that if the Government is supplying weapons to Ukraine so that more people can be killed instead of striving for peace, and if the Government is unable to arrange for the police to protect us Roma, then they should give us weapons too and we will begin defending ourselves,” Girga said. Some of the Romani people attacking an apartment building where Ukrainians are allegedly living also is logical, in his view.

“That also has an explanation. The Ukrainians there harass the Roma, they’re mean to them, they argue with them. That’s why you hear people saying in the video: ‘Now come out and be hot shots, come on down now!’ Nobody listens to that, though, all you see is how somebody is throwing bottles at a balcony. However, this just applies to the Ukrainians, because they came here, they got housing, and they don’t know how to behave,” said Girga, according to whom the majority society should not be afraid about these demonstrations, because “They are a signal for the Government to start addressing matters we don’t like.”

Jan Balog: The current Romani marches are inadequate

However, Jan Balog, a member of the Czech Government Council on National Minorities, said he perceives the current Romani marches to be inadequate. “For the Romani national minority such behavior is quite dangerous and benefits nobody at the end of the day. I am personally calling for the problems of Romani people not to be addressed this way, in the streets, but for the Government to start negotiating with entrusted representatives,” Balog told Romea.cz, adding that as a member of the Czech Government Council on National Minorities he has called on the Government to negotiate about these matters but has unfortunately not received a response yet.

According to Štefan Balog, coordinator of the ROMEA organization’s scholarship program, it is necessary to restrict the spread of disinformation and half-truths and to start intensively working with communities at the local level. “If somebody had told me a couple of years ago that Romani people would one day be chanting slogans that are identical to the Nazi ones, I’d have said that person was out of his mind! I regret that people have succumbed to disinformation from these calculating, profiteering ‘false prophets’. How are some of these ‘live broadcasters’ able to keep running around the streets inciting hatred against a group in the population?” Balog asked.

The chair of the Czechoslovak Romani Union and municipal assembly member in the city of Ústí nad Labem, Karel Karika, said the current situation in which animosity and hate for the Ukrainians seeking temporary protection is appearing among some Romani community members is a source of deep disturbance and grief to him. “Hate and division never lead to anything positive in society. It is necessary that we realize that each person, irrespective of his or her ethnic origin, nationality, religion or social status, deserves to be respected and to have the same rights as everybody else. We should all work to overcome this situation, it’s important,” he told Romea.cz.

Ferdinand Baník: These demonstrations are not against Ukrainians. It was wrong to attack the apartment building, the guys let themselves be provoked

News server Romea.cz also contacted other leaders of yesterday’s demonstration in Krupka, including Jozef Čonka and Alex Muraškin, with questions about the assault on the building allegedly housing Ukrainians. They have chosen Ferdinand Baník as their spokesperson, who posted his statement for Romea.cz to Facebook.

“Yes, a bottle was thrown there. I don’t agree with that, but if you’re in the crowd and emotions are at work there, somebody’s not gonna be able to keep it together. It was preceded by a provocation when that young guy started shouting something at us in Ukrainian. The guys did allow themselves to be provoked, that is inexcusable, and I apologize for that in the name of the Roma,” Baník posted.

Baník also rejected the idea that these demonstrations are being held against Ukrainians. “We are not holding these marches against Ukrainians, and we emphasized that there more than once. We are holding marches against aggressors, not marches against Ukrainians,” he emphasized to Romea.cz.

“If anybody shouts something against Ukrainians, many other people explain to him that he shouldn’t shout such things. There’s the hysteria of the mob there, though, emotions are at work there,” Baník said.

“We went there to support people in the place where something happened. That’s why we went there, and the people are more and more nervous, and I’m not surprised,” Baník told Romea.cz before also explaining the shouting of “Black Power” (“černá síla“), which some have criticized.

“There’s nothing racist about that. It means we are able to quickly join forces and stand up for each other, not that we want to harm anybody,” Baník claimed.

Baník also said he disagrees with what happened yesterday evening in Brno, where a small group of Romani people went looking for Ukrainians and threatened them with violence. “Yes, demonstrate, but you can’t say you want to harm children or women. I disagree with that, I will never agree with that. We aren’t racists,” he told Romea.cz.

“My message to all Romani people is that you shouldn’t play the role of the aggressors, because that will turn against us. We want calm, but you all are stirring things up even more, don’t do that,” Baník said to the Brno demonstrators through his response to Romea.cz.

Michal Miko: The causes of the current state of affairs need to be addressed

According to the director of the RomanoNet umbrella organization, Michal Miko, it is necessary to approach conflicts between communities with sensitivity, understanding the nuances involved and respecting all parties involved. “If incidents or tensions have transpired between the Romani community and the temporarily protected Ukrainians in the Czech Republic, it is essential to address the basic factors contributing to these conflicts. It is essential to support dialogue, understanding, and peaceful coexistence among different communities,” Miko told Romea.cz.

“Addressing the basic causes of conflicts requires a comprehensive approach that will include Government agencies, civil society organizations, community leaders as representatives and individuals, ” the RomanoNet director said. As for Cyril Koky, Specialist Officer for National Minorities at the Central Bohemian Regional Authority, he has desperately asked: “For God’s sake, where are we?”

“The disinformation scene is unfortunately winning. An exceptionally dangerous game has started, taking advantage of the vulnerability of undereducated Romani people and adding fuel to the fire under the cauldron of social intolerance that has started between Romani people and Ukrainians. Those who are purveying disinformation and those aligned with them do not realize that the sparking of interethnic conflicts is the road to hell,” Koky told Romea.cz.

“After the incidents that have transpired in Brno and Pardubice, some Romani people are inclined toward a radical solution to this situation. I would like to very emphatically warn them against that. Unfortunately, it is evident that more often than not, emotions are stronger than common sense and judgment,” Koky told Romea.cz.

FULL STATEMENTS OF THOSE CONTACTED

Lucie Horváthová, Czech Government Commissioner for Romani Minority Affairs

My entire life I have encountered various kinds of racist speech and rejection. I am a Romani woman, and members of my family have also been targeted with hatred, naturally. I think I understand very well what frustration is, what the anger coming from it sounds like. That is exactly why it’s necessary to always bear some basic things in mind. The first is that hate begets more hatred. The second is that history has taught us that aggression is the road to hell. The third is that there is no simple solution to complex problems

I see the way to finding possible solutions to lie in innovations to the currently existing mechanisms and communications structures. For that reason, I will be meeting tomorrow with representatives of the Czech Interior Ministry, the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry, the Regional Development Ministry, the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic, nonprofit organizations, the Czech Government Council for Romani Minority Affairs and the Regional Authorities.

It is unacceptable to chant slogans beneath people’s windows. Have we all already forgotten about the marches against Romani people here? Let’s vent our frustrations in a different, positive direction. Do you have children? Are your children attending segregated schools? Do you have good housing? Do you live in overpriced, poor quality apartments? Do you have a good education, good jobs? Do you make enough money? Soske – why not change that, why not fight for those things?

These live broadcasts full of emotions, half-truths and manipulations intend to create sensationalism and to provoke, they do not contribute to the development of independent opinions or to a real perspective on anything. Is this how we’re meant to learn the truth? We aren’t living in the Middle Ages, in a time of public pillorying. Nothing is ideal, but fortunately we have the privilege of living in a democratic state. It’s necessary to express disagreement through the usual ways. It is essential to be part of the regular procedures as an equal partner. If you have doubts about the investigation of an incident, there are legal tools for filing complaints or expressing disagreement. The Czech Republic has the rule of law, it is necessary to uphold the laws and one’s obligations, irrespective of who you are. Incidents need to be properly investigated through official channels guaranteeing their independence – that is why we have police, courts, and other institutions supervising justice.

Yes, unfortunately, racism and xenophobia exist in the Czech Republic, just like every other country in the world. However, that is no reason to give up on democratic instruments and values. It’s necessary to fight for our values and not be afraid to speak. You have to raise your voices in the right direction, though. Let’s recall that while we’re addressing this situation, there are children growing up in the demotivating environments of the socially excluded localities, which are full of illegal drugs, alcohol, and other horrors. For many long years now, we can sense the sad stories and hopelessness of the most vulnerable in those localities every single day. Efforts can be seen there, but so can apathy. We also know the work of those who sweat blood every day to aid people. Let’s get on the same page together and do the right thing. Even though there exists a lot of crookedness and injustice – and there always will – let’s not point fingers, let’s not blame those around us. Let’s focus our energy in ways that mean we can be proud of ourselves, and so will our children.

Jan Balog, member, Czech Government Council for National Minorities

I perceive the current organized Romani demonstrations and marches in Brno and in Krupka to be inadequate. For the Romani national minority such behavior is quite dangerous and benefits nobody at the end of the day. Given that I am on the Council for National Minorities, I called on the Government to negotiate about these matters together with the representative of the Ukrainian national minority, but unfortunately we have received no response yet. I am personally calling for the problems of Romani people not to be addressed this way, in the streets, but for the Government to start negotiating with entrusted representatives. It has long been demonstrated that there is a need to reconfigure the current system for the concept of the integration of Romani people into society.

Patrik Banga, journalist

I believe it’s fine to demonstrate. I comprehend why Romani people are demonstrating and why they are afraid. I will keep drawing attention to the double standard that exists here. I’ve already written more than once about where the problem lies, in my view. Some temporarily protected Ukrainians behave badly, they behave like racists. Personally, I believe they are applying the double standard they have in Ukraine to this country. It is necessary to warn them that in the Czech Republic, we Roma, as a group, are in a different position than Roma in Ukraine. The media, moreover, absolutely openly adores that one group of people, and most of the time I have the feeling their critical thinking has been completely turned off as far as they are concerned. The Ukrainian man arrested in Plzeň who assaulted a homeless man and beat him up so terribly? I saw that on Facebook, but I never saw it in the media. Maybe I missed something, but has there been any mass reporting of this? Don’t make me laugh.

What I saw yesterday, though, was practically a match for the actions of the “Workers’ Party” at that very same locale in Krupka. If I were to edit footage of the Nazis’ events and yesterday’s action by the more radical Romani people, the image would be identical. Shouting “Black Power”? Assaulting Ukrainians who have bad luck here and are living along the march route? Throwing bottles? Making threats? That’s nothing but extremism. Nothing more. The police should have intervened and arrested the aggressors. Demonstrating and expressing your fear? Sure, I consider that absolutely legitimate. Behaving like a fascist, though? Sorry, that’s not legitimate. Extremism and violence have never resolved any problem.

Štefan Balog, coordinator of the ROMEA organization’s scholarship program

If somebody had told me a couple of years ago that Romani people would one day be chanting slogans that are identical to the Nazi ones, I’d have said that person was out of his mind! I regret that people have succumbed to disinformation from these calculating, profiteering ‘false prophets’. How are some of these ‘live broadcasters’ able to keep running around the streets inciting hatred against a group in the population?

Karel Karika, chair of the Czechoslovak Romani Union and local assembly member in Ústí nad Labem

As a person who believes deeply in the values of tolerance, understanding and mutual respect, the current situation in which animosity and hate for the Ukrainians seeking temporary protection is appearing among some Romani community members is a source of deep disturbance and grief to me. Hate and division never lead to anything positive in society. It is necessary that we realize that each person, irrespective of his or her ethnic origin, nationality, religion or social status deserves to be respected and to have the same rights as everybody else. We should all work to overcome this situation, it’s important.

We have to do our best to clarify the real situation, to refute the disinformation and lies which are being spread, and above all to appeal to people’s empathy and humanity. It is essential we endeavor to find a solution that will make it possible to halt the spread of hate and unrest among both ethnic groups. That can include, among other things, critical thinking and education about the actual situation of temporarily protected Ukrainians, thoroughly monitoring and regulating social media content, and taking legal steps against those who disseminate disinformation and hate. Animosity and hatred are no solution, on the contrary, they can lead to more conflicts and injustice. It is up to all of us to stand up against this negative trend, because at the end of the day, Romani people themselves will pay the price.

Cyril Koky, Specialist Officer for National Minorities at the Central Bohemian Regional Authority

The disinformation scene is unfortunately winning. An exceptionally dangerous game has started, taking advantage of the vulnerability of undereducated Romani people and adding fuel to the fire under the cauldron of social intolerance that has started between Romani people and Ukrainians. Those who are purveying disinformation and those aligned with them do not realize that the sparking of interethnic conflicts is the road to hell. In these cases I see the essential role as chiefly being the work of the Czech Police, which has to provide security in our cities and must consistently prosecute any lawbreaking. After the incidents that have transpired in Brno and Pardubice, some Romani people are inclined toward a radical solution to this situation. I would like to very emphatically warn them against that. Unfortunately, it is evident that more often than not, emotions are stronger than common sense and judgment. We are all sharing everything on social media, commenting on everything in droves, emotionally, without even knowing what basically happened? That is literally the start of mass psychosis, the assemblies and demonstrations are immediately convened. When I hear these words that the extremists used to shout during the anti-Roma demonstrations, and that some Romani people are shouting now, I feel genuinely sick. For God’s sake, where are we?

Michal Miko, director of the RomanoNet organization

The discussion of these conflicts between communities must be approached with sensitivity, understanding the nuances involved and respecting all parties involved. It is important to avoid generalizing or stigmatizing whole communities on the basis of the deeds of some individuals.

If incidents or tensions have transpired between the Romani community and the temporarily protected Ukrainians in the Czech Republic, it is essential to address the basic factors contributing to these conflicts. It is essential to support dialogue, understanding, and peaceful coexistence among different communities.

Addressing the basic causes of conflicts requires a comprehensive approach that will include Government agencies, civil society organizations, community leaders as representatives, and individuals. Efforts should be developed to support social integration, support intercultural understanding, and to combat discrimination and prejudices. By creating an opportunity for open dialogue, cultural exchange and mutual respect, it is possible to build bridges and work on resolving these tensions.