The Mława riot, or Mława incident,[1] or Mława pogrom,[2] was a series of violent devastations and looting incidents on 26–27 June 1991 when a group of youth estimated at 200 individuals, including young females, invaded the homes of Roma residents of the Polish town of Mława causing them to flee.[1] Not a single Roma person was injured in the riot,[1] but the material losses were substantial, affecting up to 40% of residences.[1] Many perpetrators were arrested on-site; a number of them sentenced to jail after a trial.[1] The violence was described as motivated by racism and jealousy.[3][4][dead link]The incident that triggered the riot was the killing of a Polish pedestrian struck along with his companion in a hit-and-run by a Romani male driver.[1]
Location of fatal hit-and-run accident involving a Roma driver
The immediate cause of the riot was a hit-and-run accident just before midnight on 23 June 1991 on the pedestrian crossing at Piłsudskiego and Zuzanny Morawskiej streets.[1] A speeding luxury car driven by seventeen-year-old Roman Packowski (who was of Romani ethnicity) hit and seriously injured two young pedestrians, killing one of them.[1] The driver fled the scene and hid from the police.[1] He was later convinced by the Roma elders to turn himself in.[1] Soon after the accident the local radio station informed that the driver had fled the scene. This claim was in fact true;[5] however, the driver fled after people who witnessed the accident already identified his vehicle.[6] For the next two days the driver and his car were hidden among the local Roma community.[1][5]
The accident victim who died from his injuries was 21-year-old Jaroslaw Pinczewski. The mayor of Mława, Adam Chmielinski, informed that he died at the scene.[1] The other victim, 17-year old Katarzyna Zakrzewska, suffered permanent physical incapacitation.[7]
Riotedit
Two days later, some sixty Mława youths targeted and destroyed the house of a local Roma leader. The assailants quickly grew in number and began burning other Roma homes. Estimates put the number of participants in the violence from one hundred to two hundred.[8] Some Roma found protection at the local police station. Others hid at the homes of their Polish friends.[1] A total of 17 Roma houses were seriously damaged and further four houses and nine apartments were vandalized, but no members of the Roma community were hurt. The crowd apparently targeted wealthier Roma and their estates.[5] The crowd shouted slogans such as "Poland for the Poles".[9] The police brought in additional forces and imposed a curfew.[10]
Afterwards, 21 persons were brought to court, and 17 were sentenced for up to 30 months in prison.[1]
Reactionedit
A former political dissident Adam Michnik writing in Gazeta Wyborcza castigated the police and political authorities for their alleged inaction. The paper also demanded 'official action against ethnic hatred'. As a result, a number of political parties and academic institutions belatedly condemned the pogrom.[11]
The eruption of ethnic violence at Mława in 1991 has been described as 'the renewal of anti-Gypsy racism in Poland' and is linked to a significant rise in Polish Roma asylum applications in the United Kingdom[12] and Sweden.[13]
However the fact the rioters selectively attacked only the wealthy Roma houses (called "belveders") supports the opinion that the riot was triggered by economic rather than nationalistic factors.[5]
The President of the Roma Society of Poland, Roman Kwiatkowski informed that the relations between the local Roma and their Polish neighbours twenty years after the fact are good.[1]
Referencesedit
^ abcdefghijklmnoKrzysztof Napierski (30 June 2011). "Mławski incydent dał nam doświadczenie na przyszłość" [The Mlawa incident gave us experience for the future] (reprint). Wywiad z Romanem Kwiatkowskim (Prezesem Stowarzyszenia Romów w Polsce) w "Głosie Mławy" (Interview with Roman Kwiatkowski, President of the Roma Society of Poland) for the "Voice of Mlawa" magazine. Stowarzyszenie Romow w Polsce (Roma Society of Poland, homepage). Retrieved 13 August 2014.
^Emigh, Rebecca Jean; Szelényi, Iván (2001). Poverty, ethnicity, and gender in Eastern Europe during the market transition. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 101–102. ISBN978-0-275-96881-6. Retrieved 2011-01-24.
^"Poles Vent Their Economic Rage on Gypsies". The New York Times. July 25, 1991. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
^"Hooligans and the Neighbors' Cow". New York Times. July 29, 1991. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
^ abcdAnna Giza-Poleszczuk i Jan Poleszczuk, "Cyganie i Polacy w Mławie konflikt etniczny czy społeczny?" prepared for CBOS, Warszawa, December 1992, pages 24 to 29
^Beata Klimkiewicz (7 December 1999), The pogrom in Mława, Poland: no media influence on justice. ERRC.org
^Cahn, Claude (2002). Claude Cahn (ed.). Roma rights: race, justice, and strategies for equality. Sourcebook on contemporary controversies. IDEA. p. 119. ISBN978-0-9702130-6-8. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
^EU Accession Monitoring Program (2001). Monitoring the EU accession process: minority protection : country reports. Monitoring the EU accession process. Vol. 1. Budapest: Central European University Press. p. 380. ISBN978-1-891385-19-3. Retrieved 2011-01-27.
^"Poles Vent Their Economic Rage on Gypsies". New York Times. No. July 25, 1991. 25 July 1991.
^Klimkiewicz, Beata (7 July 2004). "When the media make a difference: Comparing two European race crimes". European Roma Rights Centre. pp. The pogrom in Mlawa, Poland: no media influence on justice. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
^Acton, Thomas Alan (1997). Gypsy politics and Traveller identity. Univ of Hertfordshire Press. p. 109. ISBN978-0-900458-75-0. Retrieved 2011-01-27.
^Drobizheva, L. M. (1996). Ethnic conflict in the post-Soviet world: case studies and analysis. Armenian Research Center collection. M.E. Sharpe. p. 316. ISBN978-1-56324-740-8. Retrieved 2011-01-27.
External linksedit
Information about the event European Roma Rights Center
January 01, 1970
mława, riot, mława, incident, mława, pogrom, series, violent, devastations, looting, incidents, june, 1991, when, group, youth, estimated, individuals, including, young, females, invaded, homes, roma, residents, polish, town, mława, causing, them, flee, single. The Mlawa riot or Mlawa incident 1 or Mlawa pogrom 2 was a series of violent devastations and looting incidents on 26 27 June 1991 when a group of youth estimated at 200 individuals including young females invaded the homes of Roma residents of the Polish town of Mlawa causing them to flee 1 Not a single Roma person was injured in the riot 1 but the material losses were substantial affecting up to 40 of residences 1 Many perpetrators were arrested on site a number of them sentenced to jail after a trial 1 The violence was described as motivated by racism and jealousy 3 4 dead link The incident that triggered the riot was the killing of a Polish pedestrian struck along with his companion in a hit and run by a Romani male driver 1 Mlawa riotPhotograph of the Mlawa town centreDate26 27 June 1991LocationMlawa PolandTypeEthnic conflictCauseKilling of a Polish pedestrian struck along with his companion in a hit and run by a Romani male driverTargetRoma residentsProperty damage17 houses of Roma residents seriously damaged four houses and nine apartments vandalizedArrests21Convicted17 Contents 1 Background 2 Riot 3 Reaction 4 References 5 External linksBackground edit nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 200m220yds nbsp ulica Morawskiej2 ulica Pilsudskiego1 Location of fatal hit and run accident involving a Roma driver The immediate cause of the riot was a hit and run accident just before midnight on 23 June 1991 on the pedestrian crossing at Pilsudskiego and Zuzanny Morawskiej streets 1 A speeding luxury car driven by seventeen year old Roman Packowski who was of Romani ethnicity hit and seriously injured two young pedestrians killing one of them 1 The driver fled the scene and hid from the police 1 He was later convinced by the Roma elders to turn himself in 1 Soon after the accident the local radio station informed that the driver had fled the scene This claim was in fact true 5 however the driver fled after people who witnessed the accident already identified his vehicle 6 For the next two days the driver and his car were hidden among the local Roma community 1 5 The accident victim who died from his injuries was 21 year old Jaroslaw Pinczewski The mayor of Mlawa Adam Chmielinski informed that he died at the scene 1 The other victim 17 year old Katarzyna Zakrzewska suffered permanent physical incapacitation 7 Riot editTwo days later some sixty Mlawa youths targeted and destroyed the house of a local Roma leader The assailants quickly grew in number and began burning other Roma homes Estimates put the number of participants in the violence from one hundred to two hundred 8 Some Roma found protection at the local police station Others hid at the homes of their Polish friends 1 A total of 17 Roma houses were seriously damaged and further four houses and nine apartments were vandalized but no members of the Roma community were hurt The crowd apparently targeted wealthier Roma and their estates 5 The crowd shouted slogans such as Poland for the Poles 9 The police brought in additional forces and imposed a curfew 10 Afterwards 21 persons were brought to court and 17 were sentenced for up to 30 months in prison 1 Reaction editA former political dissident Adam Michnik writing in Gazeta Wyborcza castigated the police and political authorities for their alleged inaction The paper also demanded official action against ethnic hatred As a result a number of political parties and academic institutions belatedly condemned the pogrom 11 The eruption of ethnic violence at Mlawa in 1991 has been described as the renewal of anti Gypsy racism in Poland and is linked to a significant rise in Polish Roma asylum applications in the United Kingdom 12 and Sweden 13 However the fact the rioters selectively attacked only the wealthy Roma houses called belveders supports the opinion that the riot was triggered by economic rather than nationalistic factors 5 The President of the Roma Society of Poland Roman Kwiatkowski informed that the relations between the local Roma and their Polish neighbours twenty years after the fact are good 1 References edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Krzysztof Napierski 30 June 2011 Mlawski incydent dal nam doswiadczenie na przyszlosc The Mlawa incident gave us experience for the future reprint Wywiad z Romanem Kwiatkowskim Prezesem Stowarzyszenia Romow w Polsce w Glosie Mlawy Interview with Roman Kwiatkowski President of the Roma Society of Poland for the Voice of Mlawa magazine Stowarzyszenie Romow w Polsce Roma Society of Poland homepage Retrieved 13 August 2014 Emigh Rebecca Jean Szelenyi Ivan 2001 Poverty ethnicity and gender in Eastern Europe during the market transition Greenwood Publishing Group pp 101 102 ISBN 978 0 275 96881 6 Retrieved 2011 01 24 Poles Vent Their Economic Rage on Gypsies The New York Times July 25 1991 Retrieved 26 January 2011 Hooligans and the Neighbors Cow New York Times July 29 1991 Retrieved 26 January 2011 a b c d Anna Giza Poleszczuk i Jan Poleszczuk Cyganie i Polacy w Mlawie konflikt etniczny czy spoleczny prepared for CBOS Warszawa December 1992 pages 24 to 29 Beata Klimkiewicz 7 December 1999 The pogrom in Mlawa Poland no media influence on justice ERRC org Cahn Claude 2002 Claude Cahn ed Roma rights race justice and strategies for equality Sourcebook on contemporary controversies IDEA p 119 ISBN 978 0 9702130 6 8 Retrieved 2011 01 26 EU Accession Monitoring Program 2001 Monitoring the EU accession process minority protection country reports Monitoring the EU accession process Vol 1 Budapest Central European University Press p 380 ISBN 978 1 891385 19 3 Retrieved 2011 01 27 Poles Vent Their Economic Rage on Gypsies New York Times No July 25 1991 25 July 1991 Klimkiewicz Beata 7 July 2004 When the media make a difference Comparing two European race crimes European Roma Rights Centre pp The pogrom in Mlawa Poland no media influence on justice Retrieved 27 January 2011 Cahn 2002 p 120 Acton Thomas Alan 1997 Gypsy politics and Traveller identity Univ of Hertfordshire Press p 109 ISBN 978 0 900458 75 0 Retrieved 2011 01 27 Drobizheva L M 1996 Ethnic conflict in the post Soviet world case studies and analysis Armenian Research Center collection M E Sharpe p 316 ISBN 978 1 56324 740 8 Retrieved 2011 01 27 External links editInformation about the event European Roma Rights Center Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mlawa riot amp oldid 1222061530, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
