2011 Bulgaria anti-Romani protests

March 2021 2011 Bulgaria anti-Romani protests Sap59.jpg Protesters outside of the National Palace of Culture 23 September 2011 – 2 October 2011 Bulgaria Murder of Angel PetrovGovernment corruptionAnti-Romani sentimenthttps://english.elpais.com/elpais/2013/12/30/inenglish/1388408298_024800.html The specter of racism in Europe Lucía Abellán, Miguel Mora December 30, 2013 EL PAÍS English Protests suppressed Multiple cars and houses burned Protesters Ataka Bulgaria 20px National Police Service Volen Siderov Bulgaria Georgy ParvanovBulgaria Boyko Borisov Over 10,000https://www.dnes.bg/a/58-obshtestvo/129539-127-zadarzhani-sled-razmiritsite-v-katunitsa 127 задържани след размириците в Катуница - Новини от Dnes.bg Dnes.bg Unknown Several woundedhttp://www.trud.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=1055699 Десетки арести при протеста в София, министерство със счупено стъкло - trud.bg 24 December 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131224111208/http://www.trud.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=1055699 24 December 2013 127 arrested Several wounded thumb|300px|right|Protest in Sofia at 1 Oct 2011Left: Do not be a slave in your own country.Right: When law becomes lawlessness, resistance is obligatory. The 2011 Bulgaria anti-Romani protests started during the night of 23 to 24 September 2011 in the village Katunitsa and later spread to other locations all over the country, including Plovdiv, Sofia, Varna, Burgas, Pleven, Ruse, Pazardzhik, Stara Zagora and others. The reason for the unrest was the murder of a local youth, who was run over by a car by the close associate of local Roma boss Kiril Rashkov. These protests were accompanied with racist chants and calls for violence against Romani.http://www.bghelsinki.org/bg/publikacii/obektiv/iuliana-metodieva/2011-09/smrtta-i-pozharite-v-katunica-vsichko-li-razbrahme/ Смъртта и пожарите в Катуница – всичко ли разбрахме - Публикации на БХК - Български хелзинкски комитет - Български хелзинкски комитет Bghelsinki.org 2 February 2018 16 April 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190416214604/http://www.bghelsinki.org/bg/publikacii/obektiv/iuliana-metodieva/2011-09/smrtta-i-pozharite-v-katunica-vsichko-li-razbrahme/ deadhttp://stopnazi-bg.org/declarations/73-konfliktat-v-katunica-ne-e-etnicheski Конфликтът в Катуница не е етнически! 2 May 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131224100254/http://stopnazi-bg.org/declarations/73-konfliktat-v-katunica-ne-e-etnicheski 24 December 2013 usurped The riots in Katunitsa led to the burning of two cars and four houses, owned by different members of the family of the alleged Romani crime boss Kiril Rashkov, also known as "Tsar Kiro".http://dariknews.bg/view_article.php?article_id=780560 Кой е Кирил Рашков - Цар Киро - Коментар DarikNews.bg 24 September 2011 2 February 2018http://news.ibox.bg/news/id_287406905 Погроми в Катуница, имотите на Цар Киро опожарени Динчер Фейзов 24 September 2011 News.ibox.bg 2 February 2018 The United Nationshttp://www.dnevnik.bg/evropa/prava_v_es/2011/10/04/1168522_oon_osudi_antiromskite_demonstracii_v_bulgariia/ ООН осъди антиромските демонстрации в България Dnevnik.bg 4 October 2011 2 February 2018 and the OSCEhttp://www.trud.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=1072720 Труд Trud.bg 2 February 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20131224111549/http://www.trud.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=1072720 24 December 2013 dead condemned the demonstrations and the violence. Background Antiziganism in Bulgaria The protests started in response to the vehicular homicide of 19-year-old Angel Petrov in Katunitsa. The murder was committed by 55-year-old Simeon Yosifov,http://www.dnes.bg/temida/2012/03/01/17-godini-reshetki-za-ubieca-na-angel-ot-katunica.152729 17 години решетки за убиеца на Ангел от Катуница Dnes.bg 2 February 2018 who is believed to be a close associate of crime boss Kiril Rashkov.http://www.standartnews.com/balgariya-obshtestvo/sadat_angel_ot_katunica_e_pregazen_umishleno_-117026.html Съдът: Ангел от Катуница е прегазен умишлено Standartnews.com 27 September 2011 2 February 2018 The death of Angel Petrov was preceded by death threats involving a "car accident", which were published in the Bulgarian video-sharing website "vbox7".https://www.flagman.bg Флагман.Бг - новини за политика, обществен и икономически живот, новини бг Smart Web, KAK Development Флагман.Бг - новини за политика, обществен и икономически живот, новини бг October protests right|300px|thumb|Sofia anti-Romani protest, 1 Oct 2011Bulgarian policemen lead a dark-skinned hobby photographer away from the route of the demonstration, to prevent possible beating. White photographers shoot undisturbed. Protests continued on 1 October in Sofia, with 2000 Bulgarians marching against the Romani and what they viewed to be the "impunity and the corruption" of the political elite in the country.Bulgarian rally links Roma to organised crime https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15140291 BBC News 1 October 2011 2 October 2011 Volen Siderov, leader of the far-right Ataka party and presidential candidate, spoke to a crowd at the Presidential Palace in Sofia, calling for the death penalty to be reinstated, as well as Romani ghettos to be dismantled. Many of these organized protests were accompanied by ethnic clashes and racist violence against Romani. The protesters shouted racist slogans like "Gypsies into soap" and "Turks under the knife."Anti-Roma Demonstrations Spread Across Bulgaria, The New York Times Many protesters were arrested for public order offenses.http://www.dnevnik.bg/bulgaria/2011/09/27/1163572_mvr_za_protestite_za_katunica_sred_nai-agresivnite/ МВР за протестите за Катуница: Сред най-агресивните бяха 12-13-годишни Dnevnik.bg 27 September 2011 2 February 2018http://www.trud.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=1055699 Труд Trud.bg 2 February 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20131224111208/http://www.trud.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=1055699 24 December 2013 dead The news media labelled the protests as anti-Romani Pogroms. Political reaction According to the BBC, President Georgy Parvanov called on the protesters for "an end to the language of hatred". Parvanov and Prime Minister Boyko Borisov called a meeting of the national security council to address the issue. These protests came before the presidential elections on 23 October. Far-right Ataka party leader Volen Siderov tried to capitalise on the tensions and called for the death penalty to be reinstated and for Romani "ghettos" to be dismantled.http://euobserver.com/social/113796 Bulgarian anti-Roma protests escalate 3 October 2011 European Commission 2 February 2018 The United Nations and the OSCE condemned the demonstrations and the violence. International reaction Reuters attributed the protests and civil disturbances to the lack of an effective justice system in the country.Размириците в и след Катуница влязоха в световните медии, Dnevnik newspaper, 28 September 2011 Russian media emphasized the ethnic nature of the societal polarizations, expressing the belief that the Roma are indirectly benefiting from positive discrimination on the part of law enforcement agents.Болгарию поджигает цыганский вопрос, Правда.ру, 2011 Trial In January 2012, Kiril Rashkov was convicted of making death threats against two villagers from Katunitsa. He was sentenced to 3 1 2 years in jail.BIRN 2012-01-24 Bulgaria Sentences Notorious Roma Boss https://balkaninsight.com/2012/01/24/bulgaria-sentences-notorious-roma-boss/bi/all-balkan-countries/ 2026-03-19 Balkan Insight en-USBulgarian Roma Crime Boss Sentenced to 3.5 Years for Death Threats https://www.occrp.org/en/news/bulgarian-roma-crime-boss-sentenced-to-35-years-for-death-threats https://web.archive.org/web/20250615114731/https://www.occrp.org/en/news/bulgarian-roma-crime-boss-sentenced-to-35-years-for-death-threats 2025-06-15 2026-03-19 OCCRP en-US References Category:Anti-Romani sentiment in Europe Category:Far-right politics in Europe Category:Protests in Bulgaria Category:2011 in Bulgaria Category:Romani in Bulgaria Category:2011 protests Category:Pogroms Category:Racially motivated violence in Europe Category:September 2011 in Europe Category:Romani organized crime groups Category:Human rights abuses in Bulgaria