Authorities return confiscated Czech-Romani flags to artist after acquittal

The story of the art project called "Selection Procedure for a Czech-Romani Flag", which was exhibited during the summer of 2013 at the outdoor Artwall Gallery in Prague on the Edvard Beneš embankment of the Vltava River has now ended with both misdemeanor proceedings that were opened against artist Tomáš Rafa ending in acquittal. "I am startled by the fact that discussions have once again erupted that are evidently being incited by ultra-right groups, because they still keep talking about this art project as having endangered the statehood of the Czech Republic or its state symbol. This was an anti-racist project that intended to support the unity of everyone in the Czech Republic," Rafa told news server Romea.cz.

"This topic is very current, we can see for ourselves what is going on in Germany, where protests are being organized against multicultural society. However, we also see that 5 000 people there turn out against a multicultural society, and 30 000 turn out in favor of it. I would like to see something like that here in the Czech Republic or in Slovakia - to see that we care about coexistence and a common future based not on violence, but on understanding," the artist said.