Czech Republic: Town councilors oppose Romani gathering on their territory

Pressure is increasing on the leadership of the town hall in Rotava (Sokolov district) not to permit another gathering by Romani people in the town. The convener of the event is Vojtěch Pompa of Habartov. Local Romani residents have come out against it.

Mr Pompa has announced that approximately 500 members of the Romani community will meet in the town in order to address the nervous situation there after ultra-right radicals marched through the Romani neighborhood. Local Romani residents, however, are distancing themselves from the event and asking the town not to permit it, even if that means a court dispute.

Robert Horváth of the Meta civic association, which works with the Romani community, told news server Deník.cz: “The rally of the Workers’ Party (Dělnická strana) and now this rally of Mr Pompa’s will spark a chain reaction through all of the citizens of this town. We have had enough marches in Rotava. The town, in the interest of maintaining order for everyone, should ban these events and others like them, even if it means they have to go to court.” Horváth said he believes demonstrations will prompt unrest which will directly work against efforts to calm the situation.

Pompa, however, says the march would be performed in a positive spirit. He claims to be an authority in the Roma community and says its members will obey him. “We want to come out against the aggression committed by some Romani people and show that we are not all the same,” Pompa said. He has sent two letters to the town hall requesting permission for the gathering, but the town has not permitted it due to formal errors in the announcment.

On Monday, 14 November, representatives of the town issued a declaration expressing their opposition to such events. “We disagree with demonstrations and rallies organized by people who do not live here. These events do not solve the town’s problems, but deteriorate relations between people,” the declaration reads.