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Cases in public spaces
Cases in public spaces
1.
Alicante.
Public spaces.
Direct discrimination.
One of the victims in this case was the trainer of a neighbour-
hood association football team from Alicante, José Antonio, whose players are all young Roma. His team was
playing against the British School at the San Blas public pitch in Alicante.
During the game, some of the family members of the opposing team began to shout insults at the young Roma
players such as “you’re a bunch of delinquents... where are your knives... you’re Gypsy shit”.
An FSG worker from the Alicante office informed the Department and, following a brief investigation, the trainer
of the opposing team was sanctioned for unsportsmanlike conduct that were not in tune with the values and
objectives of the sport.
2.
Mérida.
Public spaces.
Direct discrimination.
A non-Roma woman burst into the Merida FSG office and, with
no introduction, said in a loud voice to anyone who could hear her “Gypsies are siphoning off all of the social aid
until there’s none left”.
The workers in the office told her that what she was saying was simply a stereotype and that she shouldn’t go
around making such claims without knowing the true facts about this community.
She listened to what the FSG people had to say about the situation of the Roma community and acknowledged
that her comments were out of place and apologised.
3.
Mérida.
Public spaces.
Direct discrimination.
A Roma woman was sitting in a physician’s waiting room along
with other patients when a man started making comments about how Roma people drive: “They are all terrible
drivers; they just do whatever they want. The rules don’t exist for them.”
The Roma woman answered the man saying that she didn’t agree; that what he said might apply to some but
certainly not to everyone. The man then nodded his head in agreement and kept his thoughts to himself for the
rest of the wait.
4.
Extremadura.
Public spaces.
Direct discrimination.
A Roma youth went with two friends to submit an ap-
plication for a training module at the local high school. While he was standing in line in the outdoor patio of the
school, another young person approached and stared at him.
Then, when it was his turn to go inside, the other chap punched him with no warning whatsoever while saying
things about his Roma ethnicity. The Roma youth was frightened and took refuge inside the school as he didn’t
want any trouble.
After submitting his application, he went to the hospital emergency room and the staff there filed a report for
bodily injury. The Department encouraged him to press charges but he didn’t want to because he didn’t think it
would do any good and he didn’t want any more trouble.
The only reason for the aggression was the fact that the young man was Roma. The victim confirmed that the
attacker made racist comments about Roma..