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Beating of Roma Boy Exposes Tensions in France’s Underclass Beating of Roma Boy Exposes Tensions in France’s Underclass
(2 months later)
PIERREFITTE-SUR-SEINE, France — With its bleak concrete apartment blocks and clutches of bored, jobless young men, the Cité des Poètes housing project defies its idyllic name. PIERREFITTE-SUR-SEINE, France — With its bleak concrete apartment blocks and clutches of bored, jobless young men, the Cité des Poètes housing project defies its idyllic name.
It was here this month in this poor, largely immigrant suburb north of Paris that a 17-year-old Roma boy, Gheorghe, known as Darius, was beaten unconscious by a gang of as many as 20 young men wielding wooden and metal sticks, according to prosecutors. His limp body was dumped in a shopping cart, and his swollen face frozen into a mask of pain.It was here this month in this poor, largely immigrant suburb north of Paris that a 17-year-old Roma boy, Gheorghe, known as Darius, was beaten unconscious by a gang of as many as 20 young men wielding wooden and metal sticks, according to prosecutors. His limp body was dumped in a shopping cart, and his swollen face frozen into a mask of pain.
Darius, a Romanian citizen, remains in a coma in critical condition. Nearly two weeks after the attack, no arrests have been made in a crime whose sheer brutality has shocked France, drawing condemnation from President François Hollande, who called it “beyond words and unjustifiable.”Darius, a Romanian citizen, remains in a coma in critical condition. Nearly two weeks after the attack, no arrests have been made in a crime whose sheer brutality has shocked France, drawing condemnation from President François Hollande, who called it “beyond words and unjustifiable.”
Prosecutors and witnesses say the attack was carried out in retribution for the young man’s suspected thievery from the nearby housing project. While they have not characterized the attack as racially motivated, prosecutors said it was no ordinary crime, but a veritable lynching on the outskirts of Paris in an increasingly inhospitable climate for minority groups, here and across Europe, particularly for the Roma.Prosecutors and witnesses say the attack was carried out in retribution for the young man’s suspected thievery from the nearby housing project. While they have not characterized the attack as racially motivated, prosecutors said it was no ordinary crime, but a veritable lynching on the outskirts of Paris in an increasingly inhospitable climate for minority groups, here and across Europe, particularly for the Roma.
Not least, it highlighted the tensions in France’s economic underclass. The Roma, who set up camps on the poor fringes of French cities, are clashing with longtime resident immigrants who are struggling to integrate themselves and have lived impoverished for decades in the suburbs that ring Paris and other cities, known as the banlieues.Not least, it highlighted the tensions in France’s economic underclass. The Roma, who set up camps on the poor fringes of French cities, are clashing with longtime resident immigrants who are struggling to integrate themselves and have lived impoverished for decades in the suburbs that ring Paris and other cities, known as the banlieues.
In the case of Darius, whose full name has not been revealed by the authorities because he is a minor, the rage of an underclass living on the margins of the French capital appears to have turned the miserable against the desperate.In the case of Darius, whose full name has not been revealed by the authorities because he is a minor, the rage of an underclass living on the margins of the French capital appears to have turned the miserable against the desperate.
“Those who live here are losers, the majority don’t work, and then these people dare to settle near here,” said Aka, 45, who like most residents declined to give his last name for fear of retribution from other residents. As a group of Roma rummaged through the garbage for scrap metal near his building complex, he said: “It’s poor picking on poor. They come into our homes and wreck, steal and vandalize. It’s an outrage.”“Those who live here are losers, the majority don’t work, and then these people dare to settle near here,” said Aka, 45, who like most residents declined to give his last name for fear of retribution from other residents. As a group of Roma rummaged through the garbage for scrap metal near his building complex, he said: “It’s poor picking on poor. They come into our homes and wreck, steal and vandalize. It’s an outrage.”
Within days after the Roma set up a makeshift camp last month near the housing project across the street from a highway, residents said they woke up to find car seats missing. Jewelry, televisions and stereos vanished, they said. But no one called the police, a measure of the deep distrust of the authorities shared by both the Roma and residents.Within days after the Roma set up a makeshift camp last month near the housing project across the street from a highway, residents said they woke up to find car seats missing. Jewelry, televisions and stereos vanished, they said. But no one called the police, a measure of the deep distrust of the authorities shared by both the Roma and residents.
Daya, 14, a student, who said she had witnessed the onset of the attack, said the housing projects had their own internal justice system. She said the local young men formed a gang that took matters into its own hands, not bothering to notify the police. “If you call them, they will target you, so we don’t bother,” she said.Daya, 14, a student, who said she had witnessed the onset of the attack, said the housing projects had their own internal justice system. She said the local young men formed a gang that took matters into its own hands, not bothering to notify the police. “If you call them, they will target you, so we don’t bother,” she said.
Bader, 15, a student, added, “We never see the police here.”Bader, 15, a student, added, “We never see the police here.”
On June 13, the night of the attack, there were two robberies at the housing projects, prosecutors and witnesses said. During the second robbery, a youth fitting Darius’s description — wearing jogging pants and a red T-shirt — was spotted trying to rob an apartment but managed to escape. He had been caught stealing before, residents said.On June 13, the night of the attack, there were two robberies at the housing projects, prosecutors and witnesses said. During the second robbery, a youth fitting Darius’s description — wearing jogging pants and a red T-shirt — was spotted trying to rob an apartment but managed to escape. He had been caught stealing before, residents said.
Daya said she was coming home from a basketball game when she saw about 20 men heading toward the Roma camp, wielding clubs. She said the men came from Cité des Poètes as well as from a neighboring housing project. At least one was armed, prosecutors said.Daya said she was coming home from a basketball game when she saw about 20 men heading toward the Roma camp, wielding clubs. She said the men came from Cité des Poètes as well as from a neighboring housing project. At least one was armed, prosecutors said.
When Darius’s grandmother tried to stop the gang, they beat her, witnesses said. Then they took him across railroad tracks to the basement of an apartment, where they beat him nearly to death.When Darius’s grandmother tried to stop the gang, they beat her, witnesses said. Then they took him across railroad tracks to the basement of an apartment, where they beat him nearly to death.
After Darius was taken, his mother received a call from Darius’s cellphone from the kidnappers, who demanded a ransom of 15,000 euros, or more than $20,000. Eventually, this was lowered to €5,000. The French daily newspaper Le Monde reported that the kidnappers had threatened to decapitate Darius.After Darius was taken, his mother received a call from Darius’s cellphone from the kidnappers, who demanded a ransom of 15,000 euros, or more than $20,000. Eventually, this was lowered to €5,000. The French daily newspaper Le Monde reported that the kidnappers had threatened to decapitate Darius.
Ion Vardu Sandu, 49, a Roma mechanic whose shop borders the Roma camp and who employs neighborhood youths, said Darius’s family had offered to return the jewelry he had stolen. Instead, he found Darius’s almost lifeless body on the side of the road.Ion Vardu Sandu, 49, a Roma mechanic whose shop borders the Roma camp and who employs neighborhood youths, said Darius’s family had offered to return the jewelry he had stolen. Instead, he found Darius’s almost lifeless body on the side of the road.
“He was barely breathing, and his eyes were closed,” Mr. Sandu said. “It was not a racist crime. This Darius was the No. 1 thief in Romania. He comes here and steals, and makes a bad image for the rest of us.”“He was barely breathing, and his eyes were closed,” Mr. Sandu said. “It was not a racist crime. This Darius was the No. 1 thief in Romania. He comes here and steals, and makes a bad image for the rest of us.”
After Darius was attacked, the 150 or so Roma living near the projects fled. Today the Roma camp’s nearly 40 makeshift houses are abandoned. Piles of garbage and clothes remain, along with toys, cartons of uneaten pasta and bags of baguettes.After Darius was attacked, the 150 or so Roma living near the projects fled. Today the Roma camp’s nearly 40 makeshift houses are abandoned. Piles of garbage and clothes remain, along with toys, cartons of uneaten pasta and bags of baguettes.
Investigators say they have had a hard time catching those responsible, in part because the Roma, conditioned by persecution, have offered contradictory witness statements, for fear of being prosecuted themselves.Investigators say they have had a hard time catching those responsible, in part because the Roma, conditioned by persecution, have offered contradictory witness statements, for fear of being prosecuted themselves.
The Roma, who were rounded up and sent to death camps along with Jews by the Nazis during World War II, have long struggled to overcome a legacy of persecution. Descended from Indians, the Roma have for generations remained impoverished and virtually nomadic, living on the fringes of society.The Roma, who were rounded up and sent to death camps along with Jews by the Nazis during World War II, have long struggled to overcome a legacy of persecution. Descended from Indians, the Roma have for generations remained impoverished and virtually nomadic, living on the fringes of society.
A majority of France’s roughly 20,000 noncitizen Roma come from Romania and Bulgaria, two of the newest and poorest European Union members, whose citizens were granted full freedom of movement to live and work this year.A majority of France’s roughly 20,000 noncitizen Roma come from Romania and Bulgaria, two of the newest and poorest European Union members, whose citizens were granted full freedom of movement to live and work this year.
Despite Mr. Hollande’s condemnation of the attack, his Socialist government has accelerated the destruction of Roma camps, and some critics blame it for legitimizing a climate of hatred against the Roma fanned by the extreme right. His recently appointed prime minister, Manuel Valls, said last year that only a minority of Roma could integrate, suggesting that they should leave.Despite Mr. Hollande’s condemnation of the attack, his Socialist government has accelerated the destruction of Roma camps, and some critics blame it for legitimizing a climate of hatred against the Roma fanned by the extreme right. His recently appointed prime minister, Manuel Valls, said last year that only a minority of Roma could integrate, suggesting that they should leave.
In May, the far-right party of Marine Le Pen, the National Front, came in first in elections for the European Parliament, running an anti-immigration campaign that resonated strongly in France’s flat economy. The party had warned that the country risked being flooded by Roma, and last year, its founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen, called the Roma population in Nice “smelly” and “rash-inducing.”In May, the far-right party of Marine Le Pen, the National Front, came in first in elections for the European Parliament, running an anti-immigration campaign that resonated strongly in France’s flat economy. The party had warned that the country risked being flooded by Roma, and last year, its founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen, called the Roma population in Nice “smelly” and “rash-inducing.”
Darius had escaped from a mental hospital in Romania before coming to France, the authorities said, and he appears to fit a pattern of many young Roma living in the country. Roma advocates said that after fleeing Romania, he joined his mother and his grandmother in France. His father is still in Romania. Darius did not attend school and had been arrested on suspicion of burglary at least once, without being charged, prosecutors said. His mother was unemployed.Darius had escaped from a mental hospital in Romania before coming to France, the authorities said, and he appears to fit a pattern of many young Roma living in the country. Roma advocates said that after fleeing Romania, he joined his mother and his grandmother in France. His father is still in Romania. Darius did not attend school and had been arrested on suspicion of burglary at least once, without being charged, prosecutors said. His mother was unemployed.
Manon Fillonneau, a human rights monitor based in Paris for the European Roma Rights Center, said violence and intimidation against the Roma had been intensifying, including reports of an acid attack in central Paris and Molotov cocktails’ being lobbed at Roma mobile homes near Lille, in northern France.Manon Fillonneau, a human rights monitor based in Paris for the European Roma Rights Center, said violence and intimidation against the Roma had been intensifying, including reports of an acid attack in central Paris and Molotov cocktails’ being lobbed at Roma mobile homes near Lille, in northern France.
Children like Darius are being shunned by public schools wary of legitimizing the Roma camps where they lived, she said. “We are losing a generation of children,” she said.Children like Darius are being shunned by public schools wary of legitimizing the Roma camps where they lived, she said. “We are losing a generation of children,” she said.
In the Cité des Poètes, young people said they, too, felt abandoned by the French state. About 900 housing projects were built from the 1970s to the 1990s with the aim of housing working-class and immigrant populations, many from north and sub-Saharan Africa. Unemployment in the projects is up to 30 percent, said Benoît Ménard, of the mayor’s office in Pierrefitte-sur-Seine. A third of the population was born outside France, according to the National Statistics Institute.In the Cité des Poètes, young people said they, too, felt abandoned by the French state. About 900 housing projects were built from the 1970s to the 1990s with the aim of housing working-class and immigrant populations, many from north and sub-Saharan Africa. Unemployment in the projects is up to 30 percent, said Benoît Ménard, of the mayor’s office in Pierrefitte-sur-Seine. A third of the population was born outside France, according to the National Statistics Institute.
The Cité des Poètes is undergoing an extensive renovation, with the installation of modernist orange balconies on some buildings and gardens. But residents said the renovations were all gloss.The Cité des Poètes is undergoing an extensive renovation, with the installation of modernist orange balconies on some buildings and gardens. But residents said the renovations were all gloss.
“There is no cinema, no pool, no football stadium,” said Bader, 15, the student, sitting with friends. “People don’t have jobs or money, and so they steal or sell drugs. They don’t look to do anything else. Here we have nothing.”“There is no cinema, no pool, no football stadium,” said Bader, 15, the student, sitting with friends. “People don’t have jobs or money, and so they steal or sell drugs. They don’t look to do anything else. Here we have nothing.”