Statement of the Roma minority in the Czech Republic against violence and xenophobia and in relation to Ukrainian minorities

We, the Roma minority in the Czech Republic, are deeply concerned and saddened by the tragic incident that took place on Saturday evening at the Přístaviště tram stop in Brno. We express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the victims of this sad event.

We also want to strongly condemn the violence and xenophobia that is being expressed on social media in response to this incident. As a Roma community that is often unfairly discriminated against and stigmatized, we understand the importance of rejecting collective guilt and support the Ukrainian minority in its fight against xenophobia and unjust accusations.

It is important that they fled, that many Ukrainians in the Czech Republic are here as before the war in their country and are fighting for a safer future for themselves and their families. We must not forget the common human values ​​that unite us, and instead we should look for ways to promote understanding and solidarity between different national and ethnic groups.

We call on all Roma in the Czech Republic to reject any form of violence, discrimination and xenophobia. Instead, we should jointly seek solutions to improve safety in public spaces and how to prevent the growth of crime in our society.

We also appeal to all national minorities, including Roma, to strive for mutual understanding and respect. It is necessary to overcome the barriers of existing different languages ​​or cultural traditions and to promote dialogue between individual groups.

Only in this way can we together build a strong and united community in which everyone will feel safe and respected. I believe that cooperation and solidarity are the keys to achieving this goal. Together we must fight against violence, xenophobia and discrimination to ensure peaceful coexistence for all residents of the Czech Republic.