Annual Report 2014 - Discrimination and the Roma community

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Cases of discrimination in the media
37. National. The media. Direct discrimination.
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A news report on a police intervention literally read as follows:
“The operation focused on a married couple from a Gypsy clan that sells drugs on the streets; more
arrests expected.”
The use of the term “clan” and mention of the ethnic group of the people involved once again perpetuates
stereotypes and prejudice against the Roma community. The news story resorts to inductive language which
indirectly links those involved in the news story with a particular ethnic group.
The equality department sent a letter but did not hear back.
38. National. Internet. Direct discrimination. We found blatantly racist content inciting hatred towards the Roma
community in the following Internet blog:
Following are some examples of the sort of comments made:
“It bothers me to see that the only ones who speak out against these people are those with an extreme
right-wing ideology. I can’t understand why leftists and other types of people defend them. Simply
adhering to an ideal makes being leftist equivalent to anti-racist. That may be the case (to each his own
ideal), but they must realise that this kind of “lowlife” couldn’t care less about ideals, they don’t care that
there are people who try to defend them, they just keep on stealing, extorting, killing and committing
crimes in general. And when they steal or hurt people, they don’t know if those people are left-wing or
if they defend the Roma cause; they just don’t care. It is one thing to be anti-racist and another to be
realistic. PEOPLE ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT, WAKE UP.”
“Boycott Gypsy traders. You never know where these people gets their clothes, shoes, watches and
all sorts of gadgets. Does anyone ever think about that? Where do they get those huge amounts of
clothes and accessories? Many people think that the brand names they sell are imitations and many of
them are. But a lot of those clothes are authentic and they’re being sold by people who are supposedly
poor. It just makes me suspect that everything is stolen. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to take the money
spent on subsidies and meals for politicians and use it to investigate all these goings on.”
The same blog features videos with the following content:
- Gypsies assault and rob two people during the course of a traffic-related argument.
- 4.5 million Euros found in a Gypsy shantytown.
The Equality Department tried to have the page shut down but has been unsuccessful thus far.
39. Caceres. The media. Direct discrimination. A local newspaper from Extremadura called Hoy ran a news story
about the theft of cherries and mentioned the ethnic group of the alleged robbers.
40. Caceres. The media. Direct discrimination. The newspaper Periódico de Extremadura ran a story which
mentioned the ethnic group of those involved. The headline was: “Young man arrested for a shooting last July in
Aldea Moret”. In the article the journalist used terms such as “clan”. As already noted, the use of these terms only
serves to perpetuate prejudices and stereotypes.