HATE IS NO SOLUTION

CZECH REPUBLIC: ULTRA-RIGHT PARTY PLANS MARCH ON ROMANI RESIDENCES THIS SATURDAY

FROM ROMEA.CZ

http://www.romea.cz/english/index.php?id=detail&detail=2007_3279

PHOTO : MEMBERS OF THE HATE IS NO SOLUTION INITIATIVE
www.romea.cz

The Worker's Social Justice Party (Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti - DSSS) has announced a "March on Chanov" for Saturday, 7 April. That date is also the date this year of the Christian holiday of Holy Saturday and the Jewish holiday of Passover. During their provocation, the ultra-right extremists intend to march from the Most train station to the Chanov housing estate and to make speeches there on Zlatnická street.

The "Hate is No Solution" (Nenávist není řešení) initiative has decided to take action against this provocation. News server Romea.cz publishes their press release below, translated in full.

Press Release of the Hate is No Solution initiative

On Saturday, 7 April, neo-Nazis from the Workers' Party [sic] will march on the Chanov housing estate in Most, which is inhabited by Romani residents. The website of the radical Nazi organization National Resistance (Národní odpor) is calling on people to participate in the march. Activists with the Hate is No Solution initiative will be supporting the residents of the housing estate on the day of the march.

"Every time the Nazis have marched into Romani-inhabited localities in the past, they have broken the law. They shout harsh anti-Romani slogans and members of the Romani minority are often physically assaulted once the march is over," says Miroslav Brož of Hate is No Solution. "The greatest psychological burden of the Nazi marches is borne by Romani children. We believe these marches by Nazis chanting hateful slogans beneath the windows of their apartments will scar them for life."

Jozef Miker, another member of Hate is No Solution, has experienced many neo-Nazi marches as a resident of Krupka, where neo-Nazi groups have organized at least nine hate rallies so far against the local Romani community. "Our experience is that Romani people must show the neo-Nazis that they are not welcome near their homes. If Romani people hide themselves in their apartments and ignore the neo-Nazis' actions, the neo-Nazis are happy to have frightened them and are glad to regularly return there," Miker explains. "We want to support local Romani people with our experience and give them the strength to actively stand up to the march. No one wants a march on Chanov to become a Czech neo-Nazi tradition, but if all the locals hide themselves away in their apartments on Saturday and leave the public space to the Nazis, this is very likely to become a tradition."

In the neighboring Federal Republic of Germany it is customary for neo-Nazi marches to be met by much larger gatherings of respectable people who attempt to non-violently prevent them. These counter-protesters very often block the route with their bodies and the police then shut the Nazi march down.

ryz, Press Release from Hate is No Solution
ROMEA