Roma child seriously hurt in Czech arson attack

The Roma minority, known as Gypsies, unfortunately, are used to discrimination and violent attacks. But recent violence in Eastern Europe has reached a new level of ferocity.

A Roma toddler and her parents were seriously injured in a petrol bomb attack overnight on their house in the town of Vitkov(north-eastern Czech Republic), setting it ablaze shortly before midnight.

Police spokeswoman Sona Stetinska said that police unearthed charred shards of a glass container in the ruins, which could have contained an "inflammable substance." Whether these were fire bomb fragments still had to be determined by experts.

Outgoing Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said he was "seriously concerned by surging extremism," urging authorities to determine whether the incident had been racially motivated.


The 22-month-old toddler girl, rescued from the burning home by her parents, was airlifted to hospital in the regional capital of Ostrava in a critical condition, medical rescue services said.

She has suffered severe burns on 80 per cent of her body and inhaled fumes, spokesman Lukas Humpl said in a statement.

Her mother, 27, sustained burns on her legs and one arm, while the father, 33, had serious burns on his back and limbs, the statement said.

The incident took place amid rising political activity of far- right and neo-Nazi groups.

On the same night, far-right extremists had embarked on a highly- publicized march through north-western Czech town of Usti nad Labem, home to ghetto-like Roma communities 430 kilometres east of Vitkov.

Czech towns have struggled to ban extremist rallies as their organizers exploit laws that safeguard freedom of assembly.

"It is clear that there is a link between political activation of extremists and direct violence towards inhabitants," the premier said. He vowed that his outgoing cabinet would discuss the issue on Monday.

Despite such rhetoric, far-right groups have continued their activities unhampered. The government recently failed in its effort to ban one such organisation, the Worker's Party.
Racist-tinged fire bomb attacks, some of them deadly, have also recently shaken Hungary.

Read More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8015336.stm

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Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Czech Republic
• arson attack
• Roma
• Racism
• Neo Nazi

[mattoni007]

This was really sick and shameful and what's more, should have been publicized internationally.

[view587]

@JAAZALLDAYLONG The problem is nothing is publicized in CR! If you ever lived there you will find their architecture and country beautiful but you can't help wondering how they are part of EU and so LOW on human rights! Probably worse that third world countries cause if a foreigner were attacked in those countries it would make BIG news but in CR is perfectly fine! Gypsies have lived there for ages but with absolutely no rights in the average czech's mind! very sad...

[sarahvuilleumier]

@82Poland

DEBILE!

[82Poland]

@LudovitSK2 who is the same race ???

[82Poland]

Smrť Cikánům

[LudovitSK2]

We czehs and slovaks hate the gipsies, but we are the same race. :)

[MegaRoosje1]

@jacquelineveronique Very well put! Modern fascism is a plague in Europe that holds us all back

[CzechShooter]

@Alzakhraj Even if some of that was true, does it justify the attack?

[crazygermanboy93]

Do you know that later the police said that this was not a racist attack but a attack from a gypsy gang that want money from the family.

[Alzakhraj]

Why tehy did not told how they were saving stolen property from fire and let doughter alone in flames? Why they did not mention her father is notorious known, several times punished criminal?(at the time of attack he was supposed to be in jail again)Did u know that burned house was not even their and they lived there withou permission of its owner and it was supposed to be empty?

[jacquelineveronique]

It's fucked up and coward to attack innocent people. The neo nazis must be roudned up and dumped on an island and let a B 2 bomber drop some nukes on them - courtesy of the U.S.A