Locals Demand Roma Evictions after Child Murder

The murder of an eight-year-old girl has provoked civil unrest in Loshchynivka village in Odesa Oblast. Police arrested a suspect, a Roma male, and locals are now demanding to evict all Roma from the village, Dumskaya.net reports.

The body of a child with signs of a violent death was discovered on August 27 in an abandoned house close to the village. Police do not exclude the possibility of rape, but it is yet to be confirmed by the pathologist.

After the 20-year-old suspect, a Roma male, was arrested, a crowd of over three hundred people started destroying the buildings of his neighbors, local Roma people, who fled the village in advance. The authorities intervened to stop the crowd, a criminal case was opened regarding damaging and destroying property.

During the meeting on August 28, the local community, that consists predominantly of people with Bulgarian roots, demanded to evict all Roma people who live in the village. Village council deputies held an emergency session where they supported the decision of the people.

During the meeting, people found out that three Roma women who fled the village had returned. The Roma women subsequently needed to be protected by police special forces.

Source: Ukrayinska Pravda