Overview
- Berlin, which coordinated International Roma Day events on Wednesday, raised the Roma flag at 13 district town halls and hosted workshops, a march to the Volksbühne, and an exhibition opening at the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture.
- Germany’s federal commissioner against anti‑Roma racism, Michael Brand, said hostility toward Sinti and Roma remains a pressing problem and urged more recognition, as Families Minister Karin Prien noted many still face exclusion.
- MIA, a civil‑society reporting office, documented 1,678 anti‑Roma incidents in 2024, while authorities logged 195 crimes, highlighting a large reporting gap that includes abuse in daily life and alleged bias in contacts with public agencies.
- Hesse saw a sharp rise in recorded incidents in 2024, reaching 159 cases, with local advocates reporting cases of disrespect by police and a police chief acknowledging an improper response in a recent check at a social counseling center.
- Germany recognizes Sinti and Roma as a national minority with no official headcount, and news outlets reflect a split in public debate, with a BILD columnist questioning whether survey data and incident tallies prove systemic discrimination.