News server Romea.cz. Everything about Roma in one place

News server Romea.cz. Everything about Roma in one place

Czech town to install benches at housing estate after Romani residents plan protest

22 October 2012
4 minute read

The town of Krupka (Teplice district) recently issued an ordinance prohibiting sitting outdoors in the public areas of the Horní Maršov housing estate and other specific parts of town. Romani residents of the housing estate announced they would demonstrate against the ordinance, prompting the town hall to promise they would install benches there, as the ordinance does permit sitting on such structures. The Romani residents then called off the demonstration.

“The person who announced the demonstration submitted a request from our fellow citizens at the housing estate for benches and a children’s playground to be installed there. The town leadership has promised to address the matter,” Mayor Zdeněk Matouš summarized the agreement.

Jozef Miker, the organizer of the protest, said the town has promised to put two benches at a specific point on a hill so elderly residents have somewhere to rest when they come back from walking into town to shop. A children’s playground with several benches will be installed at the housing estate and another three benches should be installed on Dukelská street. “When negotiating with representatives of the town, I also negotiated with the citizens living at the Horní Maršov housing estate. The citizens are satisfied with what I have negotiated and so am I,” Miker told news server Romea.

After the agreement was reached, organizers cancelled the assembly they had announced for 5 September. According to a joint declaration by Miker and the mayor, the town’s new ordinance will continue to apply and local police patrols will monitor to make sure it is upheld. A fine of as much as CZK 1 000 can be assessed for violating the ban.

As of 10 July, the ordinance banned sitting on retaining walls or placing armchairs and chairs outside in public spaces, as well as placing barbecue grills or cooking stoves outside. There are no benches at the housing estate at all. Mayor Starosta Matouš previously said people didn’t want to install benches there because “inadaptables” would mob them. Today the town leadership is denying that its ordinance targets Romani people, even though it applies only to those parts of town where larger numbers of Romani residents live together.

Town representatives say they sought to cancel the Romani protest because they were concerned that right-wing extremist activity would follow it. “If there will be a Romani protest on 5 September, [DSSS chair] Vandas or someone else will come to the authorities on 6 September wanting to demonstrate against them. Every action prompts a reaction,” town councilor Milan Křivohlavý told journalists a few days ago.

Several initiatives protested against the ordinance, primarily the residents of the Horní Maršov housing estate themselves. “The ordinance makes it possible to fine anyone who sits on the lawn in a public area, or on a railing, or on a staircase, anyone who places their own chair on the ground or unfurls a blanket. Moreover, the ordinance does not apply to Krupka as a whole, but only to the places where the most Romani people live,” the Konexe association wrote in its statement on the ordinance.

The original demands of the residents of Krupka, the representatives of Romani associations and the human rights defenders who wanted to undertake the previously announced protest included revoking the ordinance. The demands were:

1. Revoking ordinance 3/2012.

2. Installing benches at the Horní Maršov housing estate.

3. Building a children’s playground at the Horní Maršov housing estate.

The demonstration in aid of these demands was supported by the following initiatives: The Committee for the Redress of the Roma Holocaust (Výbor pro odškodnění obětí romského holokaustu – VPORH), the Equal Opportunities Party (Strana rovných příležitostí – SRP), the Hate is No Solution inititiave (Nenávist není řešení), the Konexe civic association and the Pirates Party (Pirátská strana).

The joint declaration of the mayor and the announcer of the planned demonstration is presented below in full translation:

The announced demonstration will not take place in Krupka.

In the context of the agreement between the convener of the announced gathering planned for 5 September in Krupka and the town leadership, a joint negotiation took place on the questions related to the planned march. The announcer of the gathering, Mr Miker, submitted the demands of his fellow citizens from the housing estate to outfit the site with benches for resting and a children’s playground. The town leadership has promised to address these matters. The ordinance which was a topic of dispute is not questioned. Its enforcement will continue to be followed as part of the usual work of the Municipal Police and the customary use of public space is naturally still possible.

This press release is issued as joint statement and represents the final standpoint of both sides on this matter.

On behalf of the announcer of the gathering – Mr Jozef Miker

On behalf of the town of Krupka – Ing. Zdeněk Matouš, town mayor

Help us share the news about Romas
Trending now icon