Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In 2023, Germany experienced a troubling surge in attacks against Sinti and Roma communities, with reported incidents nearly doubling compared to the previous year. The Antiziganism Reporting and Information Center documented 1,233 cases, including violent assaults, threats, and property damage, highlighting a concerning rise in Antiziganism—anti-Romani sentiment. The Roman Foundation for Europe has urgently called for systemic measures akin to those employed against anti-Jewish sentiment post-World War II to combat this entrenched prejudice.
The year 2023 marked a disturbing escalation in violence and discrimination targeting Sinti and Roma people across Germany. According to the Antiziganism Reporting and Information Center, instances of Antiziganism soared, with recorded attacks reaching 1,233—a significant increase from the previous year’s 621 cases. This rise, including incidents of extreme violence and property damage, underscores deep-rooted prejudice that persists despite efforts to curb discrimination. The Roman Foundation for Europe has emphasized the need for comprehensive societal and institutional responses to combat these troubling trends, echoing historical efforts against anti-Semitic sentiments to address the systemic challenges faced by Roma communities today.
Antiziganism Surge in Germany: Calls for Systemic Change
The number of attacks on Sinti and Roma registered in Germany nearly doubled in 2023, according to a new report. The Antiziganism Reporting and Information Center (MIA), a federal data tracking agency in Germany, recorded 1,233 such cases — up from 621 in 2022. In all, authorities recorded 50 violent attacks, 10 of which were characterized by “extreme violence,” 46 threats of violence, and 27 instances of property damage.
Responding to the “disturbing figures,” the Roman Foundation for Europe has called on German public institutions to combat Antiziganism(anti-Romani sentiment) by following similar measures that were used to counter anti-Jewish sentiment in the post-war period.
Zejlko Jovanovic, President of the Roma Foundation for Europe blamed the “deep-rooted” nature of prejudice against Roma and Sinti for the increase in racist attacks.
He called for an urgent need for systemic change: “Centuries of prejudice and a lack of political will for change have made anti-Roma rhetoric far too common and socially acceptable. Beyond enforcing systemic controls that penalize racist and violent behavior against Sinti and Roma by the police or military, it will take a larger response from society and public institutions to combat Antiziganism—similar to efforts to rid the country of its anti-Jewish sentiment after the Second World War.”
Combatting Antiziganism: Urgent Calls for Action
Evidence of neo-Nazi motivation was found in 89 cases, it is said.
Three of the ten “extremely violent” incidents documented in the 2023 index reportedly involved the police; and in one, the use of police dogs on handcuffed detainees.
The study reported “discrimination” most frequently occurred in homes, schools, and government agencies. It says Roma monuments and graves have often been targeted — with swastikas recently painted on the home of a Holocaust survivor, for instance — and racist chants and incitement are common.
Jovanovic stressed the critical role of the media, universities and other public and civic institutions in combating Antiziganism. He said: “Media, universities, schools and other public and civic institutions that shape public opinion need to make it clear that hatred and anti-Roma rhetoric will not be tolerated. Otherwise, incidences of discrimination and violence will continue to rise”
To address the “anti-Roma rhetoric and discrimination, governments should invest in Roma culture, Roma voters and entrepreneurs,” explained Jovanovic.
“Not only will this help the Roma communities to live up to their potential but also have the potential to strengthen Europe’s economy and democracy as a whole – whereas neglecting Roma communities further weakens economic strength, its political stability, its social cohesion, its credibility and its global competitiveness.”
The Roma Foundation for Europe says it works to “build an ecosystem based on the talent, wisdom, strength, competence and resilience of the Roma as a collective counterforce to racism, economic deprivation, political exclusion and cultural subjugation.”
