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Cases of discrimination in other areas
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4.
Granada.
Dignity.
Direct discrimination.
The Equality Department received a complaint from a neighbourhood
association in the town of Láchar (Granada). The association was very upset about the publication of a document
called “Memorial of the Roma community of Láchar”. That document, written and distributed by a town resident
with the personal details of Roma living there and it contained racist comments and expressions against the
Roma community and specifically against the Roma living in that town.
The Equality Department reviewed and analysed the document to confirm that it did indeed list the personal
details of Roma residents of the town and contained stereotyped and discriminatory comments. We then sent a
letter of complaint to the author of the ‘Memorial’ requesting that he withdraw the publication as it is a violation
of the right to one’s image and dignity.
Shortly thereafter we received a letter from the author of the ‘Memorial’ saying that he felt ashamed about the
document, apologised to all of the people who may have been offended by it and stressed that it was never his
intention to offend the town’s Roma population for which he respects and holds in high esteem.
5.
Linares.
Others.
Direct discrimination.
A young Roma couple called at the FSG office in Linares to report that
they were indignant about a clearly discriminatory incident that happened to them. These young people hired a
photography and video service for their wedding but when the photographers realised they were Roma and that
they would have to film a Roma wedding, they flatly refused saying that “the rascals could break their cameras
and the rest of their equipment”.
The couple felt the sting of discrimination for being Roma and commented that “this would have never happened
to a non-Roma couple”.
6.
Jaen.
Others.
Direct discrimination.
The Department received news of a group of Roma youth who were on a
training course. The youth claimed that they were the brunt of a litany of racist comments from their classmates
simply because they are Roma. The father of one of the students reported the incident to the director of the
training course.
The Equality Department contacted the director of the school and, once having verified the information
received from the father, we proposed teaching a module on interculturalism during this course or any
other training course with a view to raising awareness of cultural diversity and respect for the Roma com-
munity.
We did provide these interculturalism workshops and gave talks on respect and diversity and since then there
have been no more incidents like this one.
7.
Estepa.
Dignity.
Hate crimes.
On 5 July 2014 people from the town of Estepa in Seville rose up in violence
against Roma families and their homes accusing them of being responsible for a series of burglaries.
An unauthorised demonstration of nearly 400 townspeople was organised after which some of them stormed
several homes and set fire to two. The demonstration was organised in protest for a series of burglaries and
muggings which the townspeople claimed they had been suffering for months and for which they blamed a
Roma family they called “el clan de los Chorizos” who lived in some of the homes which were attacked. The FSG
got involved by sending out an FSG communiqué and lodging a complaint before the Hate and Discrimination
Prosecutor. Briefs were also sent to the Government Delegation which informed the Department that they for-
warded the appropriate proceedings to the court, to the Provincial Secretary of Justice and the Interior and to
the Ombudsman.
These acts of violence were given a lot of attention in the media which served to reinforce negative prejudices
and stereotypes towards the Roma community.