Unfortunately, a common thread running through the Czech media scene today is incitement to hatred against Romani people with the aid of "correctly" phrased disinformation, half-truths, and lies. This is no longer just the province of neo-Nazis and other extremists. Growing numbers of ordinary citizens, including some "journalists", are involved in this as well.

The Czech state could potentially establish a central registry for some misdemeanors so that recidivist perpetrators of those offenses can be punished more severely. That is the presumption of a draft amendment to the law on misdemeanors and other norms which the Czech Government is scheduled to review tomorrow.

The official website of the Czech municipality of Frýdek-Místek reports that the Department of Security Risks and Crime Prevention at the Frýdek-Místek town hall conducted a survey of residents at the start of this year about security in the town. The aim of the survey was to determine what and whom citizens are most concerned about in order to most effectively design and implement crime prevention projects to increase security in the town and make citizens feel safer.

Journalist Patrik Banga has resigned from his post as a civil society member on the Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission on Roma Community Affairs. In his opinion, no one is taking the Commission seriously as an advisory body to the government.

The first quintuplets to be born in the Czech Republic are doing well and were transferred today to a less intensive care unit of the hospital. They will be able to go home in roughly one month.

Today a "happening" by the Platform for Social Housing called "Slippers belong in homes" was held on the Old Town Square in Prague in front of the Czech Regional Development Ministry. The Platform issued a press release on this occasion which news server Romea.cz publishes in full translation below. Czech Regional Development Minister Kamil Jankovský received two representatives of the platform, Prague spokesperson Štěpán Ripka and coordinator Jan Milota.

What do you think the effect is of headlines like the following: “Roma commit another brutal attack: 12-year-old boy beaten with sticks in Duchcov!" Many Czech people read that information and think: "Again? How much longer and we going to stand for this? Why is everyone conniving with them, even closing down the internet discussions so we can't even say our piece?!"