_HighVoltage_
Captain Volvo
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2006
- Messages
- 9,964
- Car(s)
- 1998 Volvo S70 T5M
This just happened Friday night.
Civic unrest and protests after the murder of a 19-year-old boy
The story is rather short and doesn't have the full details. I read the news in Bulgarian so I'm going to share some of the additional details:
- the murdered boy had a heated argument with boys from the Roma family the day before. They threatened to kill him.
- the Roma family is known as one of the largest producers of alcohol in Bulgaria.
- the next day the boy was walking his dog when a van driven by a 55-year-old member of the Roma family deliberately ran him over and dragged his body for 25 feet.
- 3 Police officers attemted to stop the van, when he ran them over as well. Thankfully, they only have some broken bones.
- local Police released information that there are over 10 complaints and claims against violence shown by the said Roma family
As a result, 3,000 protesters rallied toward the Roma family house (which is as big as a palace). They destroyed a couple of S-classes that belonged to the family and burned one of their properties. Since the event, there have been several other protests (more civil) across the country.
I don't know what is more disturbing in this situation. The murderers of the boy deserve to be punished, yet the protests seem rather hateful. There is no doubt that the Roma family is part of the "mafia" and its actions are shady to say the least. Murdering people is something they have been known to do in the past as well.
But the protests seem to be aimed at the whole Roma culture and ethnic identity. Bulgarians have always shown hatred toward Roman people. Right now, they are making the claim that "killing a Bulgarian boy should not be left unpunished." Assumptions are being made that the whole Roma culture is like this (I can't say I totally disagree with that). Yet from a moral point of view - we are blaming the Roma people for being racist and violent toward us, but we respond no differently.
I have to point out that this is very different from the race riots in the 60's in the States. Discrimination is one thing, deliberate murder based on racial slurs and conflicts is much more serious.
Civic unrest and protests after the murder of a 19-year-old boy
The story is rather short and doesn't have the full details. I read the news in Bulgarian so I'm going to share some of the additional details:
- the murdered boy had a heated argument with boys from the Roma family the day before. They threatened to kill him.
- the Roma family is known as one of the largest producers of alcohol in Bulgaria.
- the next day the boy was walking his dog when a van driven by a 55-year-old member of the Roma family deliberately ran him over and dragged his body for 25 feet.
- 3 Police officers attemted to stop the van, when he ran them over as well. Thankfully, they only have some broken bones.
- local Police released information that there are over 10 complaints and claims against violence shown by the said Roma family
As a result, 3,000 protesters rallied toward the Roma family house (which is as big as a palace). They destroyed a couple of S-classes that belonged to the family and burned one of their properties. Since the event, there have been several other protests (more civil) across the country.
I don't know what is more disturbing in this situation. The murderers of the boy deserve to be punished, yet the protests seem rather hateful. There is no doubt that the Roma family is part of the "mafia" and its actions are shady to say the least. Murdering people is something they have been known to do in the past as well.
But the protests seem to be aimed at the whole Roma culture and ethnic identity. Bulgarians have always shown hatred toward Roman people. Right now, they are making the claim that "killing a Bulgarian boy should not be left unpunished." Assumptions are being made that the whole Roma culture is like this (I can't say I totally disagree with that). Yet from a moral point of view - we are blaming the Roma people for being racist and violent toward us, but we respond no differently.
I have to point out that this is very different from the race riots in the 60's in the States. Discrimination is one thing, deliberate murder based on racial slurs and conflicts is much more serious.