Romani groups ask Czech mayor to prohibit ultra-rightist march on 1 May

The Committee for the Redress of the Roma Holocaust (Výbor pro odškodnění romského holocaustu – VPORH), the Equal Opportunities Party (Strana rovných příležitostí – SRP) and other Romani initiatives have called on the Mayor of Přerov, Jiří Lajtoch (Czech Social Democratic Party – ČSSD) to prohibit the upcoming march by ultra-right extremists from the Workers’ Youth (Dělnická mládež – DM) and the Workers’ Social Justice Party (DSSS) on 1 May 2013. The groups are planning to march through streets predominantly inhabited by Romani residents.

The authors of this challenge refer to the jurisprudence of the Czech Supreme Administrative Court on the case of a previous march through the former Jewish Town in Prague properly announced by neo-Nazis for the anniversary of Kristallnacht several years ago. The court in that case strongly recommended in its judgment that the authorities research the purpose of the assembly at issue. News server Romea.cz publishes the appeal in full translation below:

Public appeal to the Mayor of Přerov

Dear Mr Mayor,

The board of the Equal Opportunities Party (Strana rovných příležitostí – SRP) as well as the Romani victims of Nazi concentration camps and their bereaved, associated in the Committee for the Redress of the Roma Holocaust in the Czech Republic (Výbor pro odškodnění romského holocaustu v ČR), as well as the other organizations listed below, hereby turn to you, the politicians of the town of Přerov, with an urgent request to prohibit the march by ultra-right extremists from the Workers’ Youth (Dělnická mládež) and the DSSS through the streets of your town where Romani families live. The march has been announced for 1 May 2013.

We request that when deciding on this matter you take into consideration the indubitable fact that the ultra-right extremists are intentionally targeting their action at the streets where Romani families with children live. The purpose of these marches is to strike fear into the hearts of these people and their aim is to chase them out of your town.

It is evident that these groups are exploiting the citizens of your town for these aims in order to exacerbate anti-Romani sentiment. This will lead to the commission of felony of incitement of hatred against a particular group of persons or the suppression of their fundamental rights and freedoms.

On this occasion, permit us to remind you of the jurisprudence of the Supreme Administrative Court, which reviewed a march properly announced by neo-Nazis in Prague for the anniversary of Kristallnacht. The court in that case strongly recommended in its judgment that the authorities research the purpose of the assembly at issue and then justifiably banned the neo-Nazi march through the Jewish section of Prague.

We believe you are not interested in forcing us to view Romani people as second-class citizens in this respect, and we presume you will not force these families to leave town and hide elsewhere on the day the march is held. We Romani people have already experienced that once before, and it would be extremely humiliating and undignified. We recall the experiences of our parents from the WWII era, when they also had to hide from the Nazis and their sympathizers.

Mr Mayor, it is highly desirable that you invite representatives of Romani communities in Přerov, selected by local Romani residents themselves, to a meeting of the crisis committee on this issue. We believe that together with the police, you will provide security for your fellow citizens, including Romani citizens.

Thank you in advance for informing us in a timely manner of the measures you adopt with respect to this issue.

Sincerely,

Equal Opportunities Party, Committee for the Redress of the Roma Holocaust in the Czech Republic, o.s. Forum.Cz, Roma aven jekhetane – A Facebook group against hatred, o.s. SRNMPK, o.s Khamoro.

Čeněk Růžička, Vice-Chair, SRP
(for the SRP board)

CC:  Deputy Mayors Mgr. Josef Kulíšek, Michal Zácha DiS., Mgr. Dušan Hluzín