Czech court acquits activist who used removable paint on sidewalk in front of Parliament

Today the Prague 1 District Court acquitted two activists who used removable paint to outline the figure of a man and write the name "Tomáš" on the sidewalk in front of the Czech lower house in July. Judge Dana Šindelářová said no crime had been committed and there had been no intention to commit property damage.
At the beginning of October a first-instance court handed down suspended sentences of six and 10 months in prison against the two activists for "property damage" even though they had used removable paint. Their colleagues washed the graffiti from the sidewalk and brought police officers photographs documenting the cleanup while the two arrested activists were still at the police station.
The activists' intention was to commemorate the suicide of a man living in a residential hotel in Ostrava. The man allegedly killed himself because he feared losing his housing benefit and therefore the roof over his head.
The incident occurred during a time of crisis caused by the coming into effect of an amendment to the law on aid to those in material distress that conditioned the awarding of housing benefits on the agreement of the local municipality to their being awarded to a particular person for use in a particular facility. Some municipalities decided to reject all of applications for housing benefits that they received across the board, which meant that thousands of people were threatened with being turned out onto the street.
One month after the amendment took effect, Czech politicians came to the conclusion that it was absurd and tasked Czech Labor and Social Affairs Minister Michaela Marksová with redrafting it. The most recent proposal on the issue, of course, is also sparking polemics and protests.
Don't miss:
- Czech Republic: Activists sentenced for stunt to draw attention to a suicide say police made hateful, racist remarks
- Pro-refugee demos throughout Europe, Czech Police detain Romani activist again over flag
- Human rights activist: The Czech state is holding impoverished people hostage, the ombud will do what she can
- Czech Police acted unlawfully when intervening against activists holding Czech-Romani flag
- Germany: Planned residential hotels for refugees set ablaze, swastika graffiti nearby
- Romania: Cif ad campaign gets rid of offensive, racist graffiti
- Czech Police arrest man who painted Nazi graffiti
Related articles:
- Czech capital to see demonstration in support of Romani refugees from Ukraine calling for dignified conditions
- Czech Interior Ministry plan to house Romani refugees from Ukraine scuppered by Regional Governors, four bids sought from private sector instead
- Czech detention facility housing 130+ refugees from Ukraine, half of them are Romani
- Prague asks the Czech state for aid with accommodation of groups of Romani refugees from Ukraine, mayor says the state's effort has failed so far
- Czech reporter: "Why are Romani refugees ending up in detention facilities? Because nobody else wants them!"
- Czech Regional Governors reject most buildings proposed for housing Romani refugees from Ukraine, agreeing on just three with the Interior Minister
- Roma Luma leaders: Romani refugees from Ukraine are discriminated in the Czech Republic. Regional Governors and ombudsman: These are economic migrants
- Czech state acknowledges problem with finding accommodation for Romani Ukrainian refugees, Mayor of Prague calls for all free capacities to be provided
- Civil society members of Czech Govt Roma Council call on Romani men and women to aid Romani Ukrainian refugees with finding housing by using state program
- Czech Constitutional Court sides with attorney Klára Kalibová: The criminality of hateful e-mails cannot be downplayed by the courts
- Czech Interior Ministry: It is unacceptable to evict residential hotel tenants in order to access state support for arrivals from Ukraine
- Czech region to reinstate Romani caretakers in socially excluded localities
Tags:
Housing, Trial, Verdict, DemonstraceHEADLINE NEWS
